《Jack Of All Trades (Erotica)》


 1

    Jack Danner sat in the waiting room of the Altarian Trade Commission. He had his trade kit in his briefcase. He had his personal documentation in his pocket. And he had the responsibility of opening up Earth¡¯s trade with the Altarians riding on his unprepared shoulders.


    He¡¯d only been with Earth¡¯s Extraterrestrial Trade Division for two months. Before that he¡¯d been strictly Earth bound. Hell, he¡¯d never left the country! He¡¯d been a plumber, a truck driver, a bouncer, andscaper, a wedding nner, a cook, a hospital orderly, a cattle wrangler, aputer repair technician, a filing clerk, a welder, a park ranger, a sanitation engineer, a convenience store clerk, and for fun he was a long distance marathon runner. He realized he was the proverbial ¡®Jack-of-all-Trades¡¯ in a way. It was almost poetic that he would end up as a Trade Representative.


    With the opening of the Inteary Gate Network and the influx of alien visitors and new technologies, jobs on Earth had be more and more scarce. When he¡¯d applied for what he thought was a sales position he found himself being thoroughly grilled by a tag team of psychologists who were attempting to discover if he had anytent xenophobia. When they ruled that out and a number of other mental gotchas he and the other candidates were put through some of the oddest and most challenging physical endurance testing he¡¯d ever endured. It was a damn good thing he¡¯d kept himself in shape as he witnessed one after another of the other candidates fall short during the final trials until there was only him. His trainers were rather distraught about that.


    Finally he found himself fast tracked through a sales negotiation course and a diplomatic rtions course. What it all had to do with a sales job he had no clue but a job was a job and this one didn¡¯t have him handling hazardous waste down at the power nt (his only other option at the time). At this point he¡¯d put up with almost anything to get a steady paycheque. Almost.


    After all the hoo involved with preparing him for his new position he was informed that he¡¯d be required to travel to other worlds to negotiate trade agreements with their Trade Commissioners. He was stunned by the scope of the selling job he¡¯d have to do and his first assignment might be hisst if the scuttlebutt he¡¯d heard before he¡¯d departed Earth was true. The Altarians were the pinnacle achievement forary trade agreements. Every other in the Inteary Gate Network tried to open trade with the Altarians and failed. They were one of thergest civilizations in thework spanning dozens ofs and billions of citizens. To open that market was to gain economic stability for generations.


    Jack looked down the row of chairs in the long narrow hall and saw only two other representatives before him. The skeletal Deen-Diin and a small round ball of fur which was the representative of Wuu.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    The trade representatives went in the door next to the receptionist and exited from a different door out of sight to those waiting their turn. All trade representative had to sign a waiver giving the Altarians permissions to wipe the memories of the meeting from their minds. The negotiations were secret. Either you seeded and your was granted ess to the huge market or you went home empty handed with no clue why. If you didn¡¯t sign the waiver, well¡­ there¡¯s the exit.


    The Deen-Diin rep was called and looked disdainfully at Jack as he entered the door. Yeah, good luck to you too buddy, Jack thought. He knew he had at least another hour to wait before it was his turn and he was bored so he stood up and wandered over to the window. He looked out over the beautiful grounds of the parnd around the Trade Commission headquarters on Altaria. The whole was like this. Cultured, manicured, pristine, and beautiful. Much like the Altarians themselves. He could see groups of them ying in the park below and watched their graceful movements with interest. He¡¯d met a number of them on his way from Earth. The males were smaller than the females and apparently rare. The females were fairly small themselves, the shortest being 4¡ä 10¡å and the tallest reaching 5¡ä 8¡å.


    Gentle in nature they resembled Satyrs of ancient Greek mythology. Petite with cloven hooved feet and hands with two strong fingers and opposable thumbs on both sides. They bodies were covered with a felt like fur which ranged in color from blond to chocte brown. Over this they wore gossamer flowing gowns. Their heads were humanoid but their eyes were twice asrge as a human¡¯s, had diagonal pupils, and the lids had longshes. Their ears were long, pointed, expressively mobile, and typically projected horizontally. Sometimes they wore tiny gold rings along the lower edge of their ears which would ring faintly when movement bumped them together. They had slim noses and wide, ck lipped mouths. As a race of herbivores they had beautiful white teeth with a definiteck of pointy fangs.


    Altarians typically had longer fur running from their foreheads, over their scalps and down the center of their backs, like a mane, though some kept it trimmed short. It was usually darker in color than their body coloring.


    On his trip through the Network Gates Jack had been exposed to quite a number of alien races and the battery of psychological tests his bosses put him through to assess his xenophobic response now made sense. Luckily he had no issues at all with the variety of body shapes, sizes, skin types,nguages, and smells of any of the races he¡¯d met. Now that he was on Altaria Jack realized that of all the aliens he¡¯d met, the Altarians were one of the loveliest. There were other physically beautiful races but it was the Altarian¡¯s calm and peaceful spirit that attracting him the most. Truly beautiful from the inside out.


    He stood at the window watching the scene below until he heard a slight chime from the reception desk which he¡¯d begun to think meant it was approaching the time to send in the next candidate. He wasn¡¯t positive what the chimes meant and there hadn¡¯t really been any definite pattern but his bored mind found its fun where it could.


    He nced over to the receptionist and caught her staring at him. She quickly looked away but he knew she¡¯d been checking him out as he¡¯d been watching the Altarians below. He wandered over to her desk and saw she was getting a little flustered. He thought it looked cute on her.


    ¡°Hi,¡± he said when he reached her desk.


    She nced up and smiled at him. ¡°Hello,¡± she said nervously.


    ¡°My name¡¯s Jack but you probably already know that,¡± he said with a grin.


    ¡°It is a fortuitous name!¡± she replied.


    ¡°Really? How so?¡± he asked. He¡¯d take any edge he could get for this job.


    ¡°In the Altariannguage ¡®Jakk¡¯ is the word for good,¡± she said looking up at him earnestly.


    ¡°That is fortuitous! I like the way you say it too! I think I¡¯d like to hear you say it some more,¡± he said looking into her eyes which grew wider as he leaned in slightly. A bright pink tongue darted out to moisten her lips and he unconsciously mirrored her action only slower. ¡°Can you say my name again?¡± he said quietly.


    ¡°Jakk,¡± she breathed keeping her eyes on his.


    Damn, he was really starting to get hard talking to this lovelydy. ¡°I like that. What¡¯s your name?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Leffera,¡± she said.


    ¡°That¡¯s a beautiful name! Hello Leffera,¡± he said holding his hand out. She blinked at his outstretched hand then ced hers in it. Her skin was incredibly soft as his thumb gently massaged the back of her hand as he held it. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet someone as lovely as you!¡±


    He suddenly realized he had no idea if he was treading on any social taboos. For all he knew there was some caste system or maybe she was married! He certainly wasn¡¯t picking up any negative signals but he wasn¡¯t on Earth anymore. He gently released his grip on her hand though his thumb continued to stroke and she took a few seconds to release him as she seemed to be a little mesmerized by the sensation. Her tongue darted across her lips once more and it was all Jack could do not to lean over the desk and chase that tongue with his own. She seemed to read the intent in his eyes and her eyes grew even wider. Jack saw Leffera¡¯s gown was beginning to show her excitement as her stiffening nipples pressed against the taught fabric. He counted six before the desk¡¯s surface blocked his sight. Not taking her eyes from his she suddenly reached forward and tapped her console in a few ces.


    Jack¡¯sm buzzed and he pulled it up to nce at it. He¡¯d been rescheduled before the Wuu representative. He nced over at the Wuu and saw it was looking at itsm as well. It shrieked in outrage and started rolling towards him. Leffera stood up and made a screeching sound. The Wuu immediately stopped and went back to its original position.


    The Altarian touched her console a few more times and a secondter another female stepped through the door and walked over to take Leffera¡¯s ce. The new receptionist was smaller in stature than Leffera and slightly darker in color. She stared at Jack and nced at the other female and said something quietly. Leffera smiled at her recement and gestured for Jack to get his kit and to follow her.


    None of the other representatives had been escorted through the doorway. He was starting to worry that he¡¯d really screwed up but all he could do was follow along.


    Beyond the door was a long hallway. He followed Leffera towards the room he saw at the end. Her hips swayed as she walked. Jack couldn¡¯t help but notice. In fact he had a difficult time looking anywhere else. While it was a natural aspect of her gait it was damn sexy too. She briefly nced over her shoulder and caught him looking and something red in her eyes. The sway became just a little more pronounced.

 2

    Leffera ushered Jack into arge round courtyard. There was grass on the ground and a white circr tform in the center. The air smelled fresh and hinted at flowers, water and life. Jack noticed a small table and Leffera gestured he should leave his briefcase on it. Once he did he took another look around. They were alone. The evening sky above was just beginning to show its stars. He noticed there was a doorway on the other side of the courtyard which he assumed was the entrance to the office where he¡¯d meet the Trade Commissioner and make his presentation.


    Leffera sat on the edge of the white tform and gestured that he should join her. He moved next to her and sat on the cushioned surface. He hadn¡¯t expected it to be soft but it was veryfortable. Jack looked into Leffera¡¯s eyes and saw she was looking at him intently. Her nipples were still showing through her gown and she was very lovely. He slid a little closer. She looked up at him and seemed to be trembling.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if we have time to get to know each other in the way I¡¯d like to. I¡¯m expecting to see the Trade Commissioner and wouldn¡¯t want to make a bad impression,¡± he said quietly as he breathed in her warm spicy scent. Did she put on perfume before she entered the room? It was a little intoxicating.


    ¡°Jakk, we have time,¡± she whispered to him. ¡°How would you like to get to know me?¡±


    ¡°First, I¡¯d like to kiss you. Do Altarian¡¯s kiss?¡± he asked as he leaned in to rest his forehead against hers.


    ¡°Did they teach you nothing of Altarian ways? We kiss,¡± she replied as she tilted her head up.


    Jack gently pressed his lips against her soft mouth. He slid his lower lip against hers and caressed her mouth with his. She sighed then moaned as his tongue slipped out to touch her lips. Her tongue darted out and he sucked it between his lips and stroked it with his. Leffera moaned louder and pressed her body against his. She clutched at his back as she forced her tongue farther into his mouth. He continued to stroke and suck at her tongue as his hand moved to her back and then up to the back of her head. He caressed the muscles behind her ears and he felt her trembling against him. Her tongue slipped out of his mouth as her concentration was lost to the sensations of his hands on her.


    Jack was breathing in her scent which was getting progressively warmer and spicier the more they touched each other. His need for her was overriding every other concern. He nibbled his way across her mouth feeling her twitch and moan as he moved his lips to her throat. She turned her head to expose the tender surface of the side. On instinct he gently dragged his teeth against the soft flesh and felt her entire body spasm. He would have pulled away worried that he had frightened her but she clutched him even tighter. He ran his tongue across her tender neck, feeling her pulse beating fast and strong. When he reached the base of her throat he pulled back and looked at her face.


    Leffera¡¯s eyes were half lidded and dazed. Her mouth was open as she gasped for breath. She was trembling with desire and he¡¯d never seen anything sexier. He leaned against her andid her back on therge cushion. Jack¡¯s body was resting partially over her body and took another kiss from her soft mouth. She tasted delicious. She moaned and kissed him back. He slid a hand into the longer fur at the back of her head and got a grip on it. He growled with pleasure and her eyes went wide. He kissed his way down her neck, giving her yful bites as he went as she spasmed with each one followed by trembling and panting.


    She reached to her shoulder and unsped the pin on her gown. The fabric parted and the light pink nipples poking from the fine fur were exposed. He saw that she did have six in three rows of two going gown her torso. Each rested atop a slight soft mound. He sucked the entirety of her topmost left breast into his mouth and her breath whooshed out. He circled her nipple with the tip of his tongue and her back arched to press the nipple harder against his tongue. He finally gave in to her frantic need and sucked directly on her hard peak of flesh. She made an amazing crooning sound and shook as he rubbed his tongue all over the sensitive skin. Then he moved to the next nipple and repeated the process. By the sixth one she was squealing and clinging to his head trying to force the nipple into his mouth.


    From his lower vantage point he saw that the fur on her inner thighs was pure white. He raked his nails across the soft fur and her head jolted up off the cushion with a gasp as she looked at him with dazed eyes. He noticed that her female parts were roughly simr to a human females but he was a little concerned regarding their scale. He had an average endowment but he was starting to worry that he may be a little toorge for her Altarian physiology. He certainly didn¡¯t want to hurt her.


    He raked his nails across her inner thighs once more and her legs spread open. The flesh between them was ck like her mouth and equally soft when he dipped his head down to caress her with his mouth.


    Leffera gasped loudly. ¡°What?!? What are you doing?¡± she panted.


    ¡°Worshipping your beauty¡­ tasting your delicious flesh¡­ taking you ces you¡¯ve never been,¡± he said between strokes of his tongue. She cried out with each pass. There was no clitoris present but he got the impression from her reactions that the surface just inside her opening was where the truly sensitive skin was. To test this he slid his tongue deep into her and she squealed once more.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°Please! Please! Enter me now!¡± she gasped.


    Jack was thinking it might be safer for her if he just finished her off this way but she sat up and started to pull at his clothes. He stood up beside the cushioned tform and looked down at her beautiful body. She saw his expression of awe and blushed with a smile.


    He undid his belt and pants and paused as she looked up at his face. ¡°I¡¯m a little concerned I may not fit.¡± He slid his pants and underwear down in one sweep. Her eyes went wide open and she tentatively reached out to grip his hard flesh.


    ¡°It is so hot!¡± she gasped. ¡°And big!¡±


    He felt ttered but realized it was all a matter of perspective.


    She tugged him closer to her opening but he gripped her shoulders and looked down at her.


    ¡°Wait, if it¡¯s going to fit at all it¡¯s going to need some lubrication,¡± he said.


    ¡°With what?¡± she asked.


    ¡°What I was doing for you just then? You could do that for me. That would make it wet enough I think,¡± he suggested.


    Leffera¡¯s eyes widened then she moved her head forward and carefully extended her tongue. She ran the pink tip over the end of his member and looked up at him in surprise. She dipped forward again and ran her tongue along the length of his hot flesh. She made a cute sound of pleasure and began licking him rapidly. He leaned forward and took her head between his hands. She held still as he slowly slipped the head between her parted lips. She had to stretch her mouth open a little more than she normally did but she was able to take him into her mouth. He began to knead the flesh behind her ears again and her eyes went dreamy as he slowly slid himself in and out of her mouth. He was able to get half of his length into her mouth and he knew he was getting well coated in her saliva.


    He tugged off his jacket, tie and shirt and gently pulled himself from Leffera¡¯s mouth. She leaned forward to keep him inside but he gently pushed her back until she was lying back on the cushion. He dipped his face back between her thighs to give her a few deep licks and she grabbed his head and cried out in ecstasy.


    Jack crawled onto the cushioned tform and pulled her closer to the center. He kicked off the rest of his clothes and settled himself between her thighs. She gasped as the hot, thick head rested against her wet opening. He lifted her legs to bring the angle of her opening upwards for better leverage. He rocked his hips forward slowly and felt himself slip into her. Leffera gasped and grabbed at him. He stopped moving and allowed her a moment to adjust to the invasion. Once her breathing settled back to normal he pulled back a little and pushed forward another small increment. Stop, wait, back slightly and forward more. The pauses became longer the deeper he went as she was having trouble amodating his girth.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this is hurting you isn¡¯t it,¡± he said when he saw the look of intense concentration on her face. He tried to pull out but she grabbed him and held him steady. A momentter she continued the gradual process of taking him in. The pleasure was intense but he was able to set it in the background and concentrate on her extraordinary efforts to take him in. Every third cycle he began to pull all the way out to the tip then slowly take it all the way back with just a little extra. She got a little frantic on these cycles. Her legs would shake uncontrobly and she made those wonderful crooning noises.


    Then he reached bottom. He still had maybe a fraction of an inch left but she felt so incredible soft and tight he had noints. He slid out to the tip them back in all the way. Then immediately once more. And again. Her crooning went up in volume and the sudden increase in noise cleared his mind for just a moment. He had a sh of concern that he was supposed to be doing something important but then he stroked back in and immersed himself in the warm spiciness of the Altarian as she wailed in ecstasy again.


    Leffera¡¯s legs hooked over his ass and pulled at him to thrust harder so he did. He leaned down and pressed his body against hers and kissed her deeply as he thrust into her faster and faster. She cried out and began to chant ¡®Jakk¡¯ and he wondered if she was saying his name or not. Either way it was wonderful for his ego. His hips were rocking to a steady but fast pace, pumping his shaft into the female beneath him. She began to make noises like she was getting close to orgasm so he kept up the pace.

 3

    This went on for another ten minutes and she still hadn¡¯t peaked. Jack¡¯s training for marathons wasing in handy in a most unexpected way as he held himself back waiting for her orgasm. Leffera looked like she was experiencing bliss from his steady thrusts and still seemed to be climbing towards her release but maybe she needed something more.


    Jack thought back to the start of their love making for clues as to what excited her most and recalled the moment where she almost loss of control. It was when he¡¯d growled and pretended to bite her throat. It seemed to be an instinctive reaction to the aggression and implied danger. The Altarians were such a civilized and gentle race, their greatest pleasure may be triggered from their most distant instinctual memories. It was time to take a chance.


    Jack pulledpletely out and Leffera cried out in dismay. He roughly flipped the female over onto her stomach and pulled her ass up. Giving her no time to prepare he lined himself up once more and mmed himself deep into her in one thrust as he growled loudly. Leffera bleated and her legs kicked out ineffectively to both sides. Jack fell forward and pinned her body under his. He ran his tongue up the side of her throat as he growled deeply. His hands were under her, pulling roughly on her thick nipples and she trembled fiercely. He began to grind himself against her and slowly started to piston himself in and out of her gushing opening. She gasped and crooned in ecstasy as his speed picked up to its earlier pace.


    Then he opened his mouth wide and gripped the side of her neck in his jaws.


    He felt her mping down on him as her body thrashed and her wails became frantic. He pushed himself up and pulled her hips with him. He continued to pound himself deeply into her as she rocked through one explosive orgasm after another. Her voice was one long note with minor gasps to gather breath.


    Her hips were slick with sweat and he did his best to hang on. He slid his hand around to knead her ass cheeks and his right thumb slipped into her anus as he thrust himself one final time deep into her gushing opening. He felt his explosion deep within her and heard her bleating cries as she crested once more. As his orgasm ebbed he rested his body over hers again and enjoyed the sensation of her contractions milking the seed from his deting member. He nuzzled her cheek and kissed her there once.


    Before he crushed her with his entire weight he rolled off to the side and felt himself pop free of her. She jolted once more theny there panting. As hey beside her he watched her lovely face as she came down from her bliss. It took some time as she was clearly ovee by the experience. He was reeling from his own. He checked her neck to ensure he hadn¡¯t actually bitten her and saw there were barely any marks except for the flush that showed through the fine fur and the wetness.


    Finally she turned her head to face him and he smiled at her gently. ¡°Are you ok? I didn¡¯t hurt you, did I?¡± he asked as he winced. He HAD been a little rough considering their size difference.


    She didn¡¯t seem to be able to speak and he grew worried. She was making breathy noises then she managed to get hernguage center back online.


    ¡°Jack Danner¡­ you did¡­ so well! I¡­ am not in¡­ pain.¡± Her body went through a series of small tremors as she clenched her eyes shut and bit her lip sexily. He felt himself begin to respond once more but she was clearly done for the day so he looked away. She caught the nce and looked down to see his partial rise.


    Her eyes grew wide as she looked back at him but he put her mind at ease. ¡°Shhh! It¡¯s ok, we¡¯re done. Rest easy. It will go away.¡±


    ¡°I hope it does not,¡± said a loud female voice from the opposite side of the cushioned tform.


    Jack¡¯s head swung up to see a tall, lovely Altarian female standing beside the tform looking down at them. He pushed himself up and off the surface and took a couple of steps back. The moment his head was out of the range of Leffera¡¯s scent his mind cleared and he suddenly recalled what he was supposed to be doing. He blushed fiercely and looked for his clothes but they were scattered everywhere.


    He looked back at the tall female who continued to enjoy the view of his naked body. He noticed the opposite door was now open and had a sinking feeling. ¡°Am I addressing the Altarian Trade Commissioner?¡± he asked politely, trying to gather as much dignity as he could standing there naked. He didn¡¯t bother trying to cover himself.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°Yes you are. My name is Karrel,¡± she said looking him in the eye.


    ¡°There is a phrase amongst my people that first impressions are the most important. I¡¯m sure mine wasn¡¯t the best one I could have made. We¡¯re also very big on second chances,¡± he said.


    The Trade Commissioner smiled and leaned down to speak to the female lying exhausted on the tform. ¡°Leffera, how was this ¡®first impression¡¯ of Earth¡¯s Trade Representative Jack Danner?¡± she asked sweetly.


    Leffera¡¯s eyes rolled open and she looked at her boss. ¡°Beyond expectations,¡± was all she could manage before she slipped back into sleep.


    ¡°You see Jack Danner, that was supposed to be MY first impression but you had already begun with Leffera in the reception area and rules are rules. When heat begins partners are set,¡± she said with a smile.


    ¡°However, you did say something about second chances?¡± she said as she unsped her gown and let it fall to her feet.


    She was stunning! Her deep chocte brown coloring made her pink nipples stand out and he immediately noticed the tiny gold rings piercing all six. She walked around the tform slowly, enjoying the way his eyes were drinking in her sensuality.


    Jack was in awe but he was also confused. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be making his presentation? As she stepped up to him and he caught her scent he realized that was unimportant at the moment. Her spice was hotter than Leffera¡¯s and he immediately felt his skin flush. She stepped closer and his hands went around her back. He pulled her tight against his body. This tucked his rapidly rising member between her thighs and she gasped at its heat.


    He moved his hands down her back to grasp her ass in his hands and knead the firm orbs. She began to tremble.


    He leaned his head forward and kissed her boldly, sliding his tongue into her mouth to tangle with hers.


    Karrel¡¯s breathing was speeding up and her hands slid down his back to grip his ass in return.


    He began to pump his hips forward and back to slide the hot skin across her sensitive flesh. She gasped so she appeared to like it.


    Jack noticed an empty tform rising up out of the ground behind Karrel. He pulled back and looked at the panting Altarian. She looked over and caught the motion as well.


    ¡°Leffera will be on her way home now,¡± she murmured before his lips took hers for a kiss once more. She moaned at his passion as he gently sucked at her lower lip.


    He walked them back and onto the tform andid her down on its center. He pressed her under his body and she moaned once more. Jack surprised her by rolling over and tugging her on top of him. He also slid down slightly so his mouth was positioned at her chin. He reached up with his now free hands and grasped the fur on her head behind her ears and pulled her head back to expose her throat to him. She began to thrash as he licked her soft neck. He pressed his closed teeth against her and felt her pulse racing. He slid himself downwards under her until he encountered her first set of nipples. He had to be careful because of the delicate rings but found that she hissed with pleasure when he raked his teeth over the firm buds of flesh. He yed with the rings with his tongue and Karrel made little yips of pleasure until he¡¯d suck the nipple between his lips and run his tongue across its tip. Then her breath would rush out and she¡¯d try to force more of her breast into his mouth.


    When he moved down to thest row he kept his hands busy on her ass. He dipped his right hand down to her opening and circled it with increasing pressure until he felt the lubrication begin to flow. Once he had a good slickness built up he slipped one finger into her opening and one into her anus. The double shock made her arch her back so he slid out from under her and positioned himself once more under her but with her descending face aimed at his groin. Before she could recover he sucked her lower lips into his mouth and thrashed them with his tongue. She squealed and flopped down on his body. His shaft was pressed against her cheek but it took her a minute toe to understand what she was feeling. She recalled what she¡¯d witnessed Leffera doing so she opened her mouth and slid him inside as far as she could go.

 4

    Jack felt Karrel¡¯s nose touched his balls and realized she had taken him inpletely. He reached down and massaged her scalp behind her ears as he pulled her head up and let it slide back in. He mimicked the motions with his tongue in her opening. He felt her legs thrashing again so he gave her some gentle bites on the tender white surfaces of her inner thighs. Karrel began to croon with him deep in her throat.


    He pulled her off of his well lubricated member and felt her tongue trying to wrap around its tip. He rolled them back to the center of the tform and spun around again. He raised himself above her as he lifted her legs and pressed the fat head against her wet opening. Pressing down he felt her resisting so he rubbed a finger across her puckered anus. She jolted and with a quick spasm she opened and he slipped inside.


    Karrel cried out and he held still as she let herself stretch to fit the invading flesh. As he did with Leffera, Jack set up a slow and incremental pattern of thrust, hold, and retreat to gradually allow her to amodate his girth. He couldn¡¯t get over how much tighter Karrel was and was surprised when he encountered an obstruction when he was just a short ways in.


    ¡°Karrel, are you a virgin?¡± he asked.


    ¡°A what?¡± she asked trembling, eyes tightly closed.N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Have you ever had sex before?¡± he said gently.


    Her eyes opened and looked at him fearfully. ¡°No,¡± she whispered.


    His heart went out to her. ¡°It¡¯s OK. I¡¯m d we caught this now so we can avoid hurting you. This isn¡¯t the right way to begin. We can start again and do it right.¡± He smiled at her and pulled himself out. She clutched at him trying to get him back inside but he just kissed her and massaged her scalp to make her rx. Once she was lying back on the cushions he moved his kisses down her neck, with the prerequisite nibbles and teeth scratches to charge her up, down her chest sucking on her pert nipples until they stood up for joy and she squealed and clutched at his head, and further down still to the treasure he sought. Hepped across her wet opening with the t of his tongue and she spread her thighs wide. Then he quickly moved to attack her silky smooth inner thighs with kisses and love bites until she was going out of her mind. This was merely a distraction for his two fingers which were slowly sliding in and out of her wet opening. There was so much stimtion Karrel couldn¡¯t detect him reaching deeper and deeper until his fingers reached the membrane covering her opening.


    Jack moved his tongue directly to her opening and plunged it inside in darting motions. Karrel cried out and clutched at his head. He slid his fingertips over the membrane applying pressure and felt it begin to give. He sped up his licking and finger thrusts and finally felt the membrane part. He pulled his face away and slid his fingers around the inside but could not detect any trace of the obstruction any more.


    Karrel was almost frantic with need after his rapid licking and she pulled at him to climb back up her body. He carefully pressed the head of his shaft against her and it immediately slipped inside. So far so good! He returned to the thrust, hold, and retreat pattern but when he reach where the barrier was before there was just a slight tightening of the channel. Karrel whimpered slightly when he paused there and she used her heels on his ass to pull him strongly against her until he slid down into her depths in one slow move. She gasped as he reached bottom. Theyy there panting, her heels firmly in ce to keep him from moving.


    When she seemed ready he slid out slowly and thrust back in. She got into the new pattern and used her heels to help drive him home. Soon he was able to pick of the pace and their bodies mmed together with a wet pping noise. Karrel was crooning constantly as he pumped away and her pitch was climbing much the way Leffera¡¯s had only more rapidly. He smiled at the female below him and leaned down to kiss her. He needed to rest for a bit so he rolled them both over until she was on top. Her eyes popped open in surprise. He bounced her a few times on his groin and she quickly caught on that she could now control the pace.


    Karrel started off slowly rocking back and forth to take him all the way in and almost all the way out. They began to move faster and faster until she was back to the pace Jack had set earlier. Karrel closed her eyes and rested her hands on Jacks shoulders as she pounded away. Her eyes flew open when she felt his hands caressing her chest, gently tugging on her nipple rings sending electric shots of pleasure between her chest and her groin. Her crooning began again only much higher as she rapidly approached her release. His left hand slid up to grip her thick fur on back of her head and his right hand moved to her ass to assist in the driving force of their colliding bodies. Jack¡¯s release was imminent so he needed her to reach hers soon.


    Jack felt Karrel begin to lose coordination as her orgasm started. He pulled her down across his body with his left hand pulling her head back to expose her throat. His right hand gripped her ass fiercely and he rubbed the surface of her anus causing her body to jolt as he brought his teeth into contact with her lovely smooth neck. It worked for Karrel as well as her eyes rolled back in bliss, she bleated, and her legs thrashed. Jack mmed himself in deep one more time and the world exploded behind his eyes.


    When reality returned Jack found himself lying back on the cushioned tform with Karrel sitting next to him. She was smiling at him and petting his now slumbering penis.


    ¡°Hi,¡± he said.


    ¡°Hello, Jack Danner,¡± she smiled.


    ¡°I have to tell you I didn¡¯t expect to do that. I don¡¯t regret a second of it but it wasn¡¯t what my bosses back on Earth sent me here to do. They trained me to be a trade representative and for all their training and with all their hopes riding on me the first thing I do when I get here is make love to two beautiful Altarians, one of whom is the Trade Commissioner herself! If they knew what I¡¯d done they¡¯d¡­ well, I don¡¯t know what they¡¯d do. I guess I¡¯ll find out.¡± He sat up and cupped Karrel¡¯s cheek in his palm. ¡°You¡¯re so lovely! I will treasure these moments.¡±


    ¡°Do you not want Earth to trade with Altaria?¡± she asked.


    ¡°What?¡± he said.


    ¡°You have passed our test. The first one who ever has and you passed it twice!¡±


    ¡°That was the test?¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°It was a passion andpassion test. Altarians are very civilized, some say too civilized. We are missing passion in our lives. Many racese to us and only see a market to exploit for financial gain but we are interested in a partnership. We would wee trade but only if we can trust that partner to share their passion with us and¡­ not hurt us. It is shocking and appalling how many races in the Network just see us as their next victim.¡±


    Jack felt uneasy that the Altarians would use him as a guide for human behavior.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t assume humans won¡¯t treat you equally poorly. I¡¯m ashamed to say humans are capable of being as greedy and cruel as any race you¡¯ll find on thework. You shouldn¡¯t base your opinion of humanity on me. ¡±


    Karrel smiled and leaned forward and kissed him. He returned the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers.


    When she pulled back she continued. ¡°That¡¯s what makes you the perfect choice to be our Ambassador. Earth may have its trade but only from those who have been approved by our Ambassador. This role will protect us from those who wish only to profit from us without care for our well-being. Do you think you might be interested in such a position?¡±


    Jack was stunned! They were offering him a job? It sounded like the sweetest job he¡¯d ever have!


    ¡°Would I get to work very closely with the Altarian Trade Commissioner?¡± he asked with a smile.


    ¡°Very, very closely. I believe a few others in my office may also wish to establish a close working rtionship with our Ambassador,¡± she smiled as she gestured the walls encircling them.


    Jack looked up and saw the white surface fade to transparency. Behind the ss sat a number of very pleased looking Altarian females. ¡°So it was a peep show as well as a test,¡± he thought then shrugged.


    Ambassador Danner. He liked it.


    ¡°When do I start?¡±

 5

    Jack Danner was a very happy man. He was also a very busy one. As the Trade Representative for Earth and the Altarian Ambassador he finally had work that fit his personality and skill set. He loved his new job! Both of them!


    As the Trade Rep he got to meet people from all the nations of Earth who were trying to sell their products and services to the Altarians, a market of billions who were spread across dozens ofs. For every profitable deal he¡¯d approved he¡¯d turned down dozens. The ratio was probably closer to fifty rejections for every eptance. His selectiveness was based on his genuine concern for protecting the Altarian people. If it wasn¡¯t healthy, safe, or beneficial to the Altarians it didn¡¯t get past Jack.


    As he was supposed to be Earth¡¯s Trade Rep, pushing Earth¡¯s crap onto the unsuspecting aliens, he always pretended to be listening to an earpiece he wore to every meeting. When he made his call on the products the vendors believed he was inmunication with the Altarians and it was their decision he was conveying. This seemed to work quite well.


    In recent months there had been an increase in the number of military backed contractors trying to get a foothold in the huge market. So far each one had proven to be less than honest in their offerings which would have resulted in long term dependence on the contractors. Jack had nixed each one and word got back to him through other vendors that back on Earth there were definite grumblings about his loyalty. The most recentmunication he¡¯d received from the Trade Commission Headquarters on Earth told him to ¡®Stop blocking trade and push more products!¡¯ Jack had responded that none of the products which had been rejected were deemed suitable by the Altarian Trade Commissioner. While they were suspicious, they hadn¡¯t caught on yet that he¡¯d actually been given that authority.


    In his role as the Altarian Ambassador he initially got to work on diplomatic issues between Earth and the Altarians. He unfortunately couldn¡¯t use the same earpiece trick with this position so instead he harnessed his people skills to their utmost. The representatives that arrived from Earth were initially surprised to find themselves negotiating with another Human but quickly learned that this gave them absolutely no advantage. Their smugness quickly disappeared when they discovered the friendly, reasonable, and calm man they faced was strangely protective of the Altarians and their way of life. More than one envoy was politely sent packing when Jack identified their true intentions or suspected they weren¡¯t negotiating in good faith. Once more, he made a number of enemies back on Earth but his reputation on Altaria grew.


    This local reputation lead to his recently taking on the responsibility of meeting with races from others who were also interested in rtions with the Altarians. They too were surprised to find themselves negotiating with a Human. He was particrly sessful with these negotiations as he had less concern about disying his protectiveness of the Altarians.


    Through all of this Jack discovered he really liked working with people. In fact, when he looked back on the many jobs he¡¯d had on Earth the bright spots had been those where he interacted with others. The skills he¡¯d picked up as a wedding nner, a hospital orderly, a convenience store clerk, and even as a bouncer helped him excel atmunicating with the diverse groups of people he came into contact with on a daily basis now.


    The Altarian staff he had working for him were extremely efficient and took care of all of the tedious details these positions required. He couldn¡¯t imagine handling the workload he had now without them.


    Karrel, the ¡®official¡¯ Altarian Trade Commissioner, worked very closely with Jack and was delighted with his ability to identify the applicants whose offers/business proposals were not beneficial for the Altarians. He seemed to have an instinct for flushing out the parasites from those genuinely interested in mutually beneficial business and/or cultural rtions. He ensured the contracts they eventually created left both sides satisfied.


    Karrel also managed to work in a little personal satisfaction with Jack at least once a day, typically when he first arrived at the office in the morning. The female was insatiable! Jack certainly had noints about that either. Karrel was gorgeous but then Jack found all Altarians to be beautiful.N?velDrama.Org content.


    Something he found most attractive was their gentle natures. Friendly, even tempered, optimistic, cultured, and kind, they were beautiful on the inside as well.


    Physically, the Altarians resembled Satyrs of ancient Greek mythology with cloven hooved feet and hands with two strong fingers and opposable thumbs on both sides. Generally slim and petite in stature, adult females ranged in height between 4¡ä 10¡å and 5¡ä 8¡å at their tallest. Adult males were typically at the lower end of that scale. Their bodies were covered with a felt like fur which ranged in color from blond to chocte brown which was Karrel¡¯s coloring. Over this they wore gossamer flowing gowns of varying translucence. Their heads were humanoid but their eyes were twice asrge as a human¡¯s, had diagonal pupils, and the lids had longshes. Jack thought they set the standard for the definition of ¡®doe eyed¡¯ but he kept that observation to himself.


    Their ears were long, pointed, expressively mobile, and typically projected horizontally. Many took to wearing tiny gold rings along the lower edge of their ears which would ring faintly when movement bumped them together. They had slim noses and wide, ck lipped mouths which he knew from personal experience were delightful to kiss. As a race of herbivores they had beautiful white teeth with a definiteck of pointy fangs.


    Altarians typically had longer fur running from their foreheads, over their scalps and down the center of their backs, like a mane, though some kept it trimmed short. It was usually darker in color than their body coloring. When Karrel and his other coworkers learned Human hair could be very long if it was left to grow they begged Jack to let his sandy blond hair grow out so they could see it. He wasn¡¯t that keen on long hair but to amuse his friends he let it grow. He now had enough hair that he had to tie it back in a ponytail which delighted Karrel and the team.


    He hadn¡¯t seen her in over two months as she had apparently been called away for important meetings with the Regency. Jack had yet to meet the ruling family of the Altarians though he¡¯d heard a lot of nice things. He had no real expectations to ever appear on their radar as he was so new to their and they had such arge civilization to govern!


    He¡¯d only been working on Altaria for eight months but what an amazing eight months it had been!


    Jack was given a lovely apartment on the top floor of a livingplex within walking distance to the Embassy and Trade Commission buildings. Architecture on Altaria was as lovely as the people and he found his apartment both visually pleasing and veryfortable.


    While he lived alone he found himself entertaining almost every night. The females he worked with were delightfulpany and very energetic and expressive. Lately, after delicious potluck vegetarian meals, he had taken to showing old Earth movies and serving popcorn to his guests. Both the movies and the popcorn were cultural imports he had approved and both had be obsessions for the Altarians. They preferred their popcorn in so he always made a separate bowl with toppings for himself.


    At the end of each of these parties after his guests said their goodbyes and headed home one would hang back and make a subtle indication that they would be interested in staying the night with him. There was never more than one waiting and he never learned how they worked out in advance who would attend his movie nights and which one of them would stay behind. With over fifteen females working with him in the Trade Commission office and an equal number working with him in the Embassy and no males working in either he was definitely a focal point for his coworkers. Males in the Altarian society, being out numbered 10-1 by the females, tended to avoid work and just led lives of leisure because, well, they could.


    The previous night he had ushered his guests out and turned to see Leffera standing behind him with her hands sped behind her back. She worked with him in the Trade Commission office and they were very close friends. Actually, besides Karrel, Leffera was as close to a girlfriend as Jack got. The Altarians had no concept of permanent partnership as there were just too few males. That ratio had always been the norm so they didn¡¯t think anything of it. The uniqueness of working with a male day after day still delighted his coworkers. Getting to hang out with one after work was definitely seen as a treat and having sex with him was the cherry on top.


    Leffera had been a regr bed buddy with Jack since the first week he held the job. He was grateful for her immediately taking him under her wing so to speak. Those early weeks had been confusing and a little lonely with few humans to interact with.


    As he stretched his sleepy muscles across his bed tform he felt Leffera¡¯s warm body settle against him, her back pressing all down his side. He never got over how incredibly soft Altarian¡¯s felt against his bare skin.


    He felt the familiar tingle in his groin as his body responded to her almost imperceptible grinding against him. He listened to her breathing and a smile crept across his lips. The little imp! She was just pretending to be asleep. He began to smell the warm spicy scent of her heat. She was getting excited.


    As it always did, the scent supercharged his libido. The little tingle in his groin became a heavy throbbing as his cock quickly rose to greet the day. He quickly rolled onto his side and tucked his mouth down into her neck biting her gently as he grabbed her hips and slid himself between her thighs.

 6

    Leffera bleated in surprise and jolted in his grip. Her body instinctively responded to his teeth on her throat as her juices began to flow over his hot flesh pressing across her opening. She panted and trembled as he ran the t of his tongue over the side of her throat. There hadn¡¯t been a carnivorous predator on Altaria for millennia but the instinct persisted. It was very effective in bringing females to extreme levels of excitement quickly.


    He surprised her again when he rolled onto his back and pulled her up onto his body. Jack moved his hands up from her hips and gently squeezed and tugged on her nipples starting from her lowest pair. Altarian¡¯s had three sets of breasts which just meant more pleasure to bring to the lovely female. Leffera¡¯s bleating changed into that delicious croon he loved to hear from her beautiful lips.


    She reached down and held his cock tight against her wet opening as she rocked her hips forward and back, spreading her slick fluids over the thick head and along the top of his shaft. Jack groaned and involuntarily tugged her middle nipples a little more aggressively. Leffera crooned louder and her hips rocked faster.


    Jack pulled his hips back and the head of his cock slipped into Leffera on her next stroke. The crooning went silent as her mouth and eyes shot wide with ecstasy. Her rocking stopped as well as he slowly slipped deeper into her hot, wet depths. Jack pushed his hips up a little faster and soon his cock was buried deep inside her. He moved his hands up to her topmost breasts and gave them a good squeeze. The crooning began again.


    He began to make long, slow strokes in and out of her wet channel. Leffera¡¯s hips trembled and began to roll slightly adding to the wonderful tightness gripping his cock. He added a little more speed and was soon pping her ass with his pelvis as he rapidly pumped his cock into her. Her crooning was reaching a pitch which indicated she was ready for the next level.


    Jack wrapped his left arm around her chest gripping her topmost right breast and buried his cock as deep as he could. Then he suddenly rolled over until she was under him. As he was braced on his arm she wasn¡¯t at risk of being crushed but he did have her pinned and under his control. He started the strokes once more and finished each by grinding her ass with his pelvis. He dipped his mouth down beside her ear and growled deeply in his chest. When she began to tremble and gasp he picked up the speed and pounded into her with quick short strokes. This stimted both of her orifices which were taking a battering.


    Leffera began to bleat as her orgasm struck. He gave her nipple a little twist and tug and her eyes rolled up. She dropped her head to the bed as her body went limp.


    Jack immediately pulled himself from her body and rolled off. He checked and saw she was still breathing but she was quite unconscious. That had never happened before and he began to get nervous. He fanned her face and gently called her name until he saw her longshes begin to flutter.


    ¡°Jakk?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, Leffera. How are you feeling?¡± he said gently.


    Shenguidly stretched her body out and slowly rolled over onto her back with a huge satisfied smile on her face. ¡°Ohhhhh Jaaaakkk! Soooooo goooood!¡± she crooned as her eyes closed. ¡°You make me feel so gooooood!¡±


    He saw she waspletely spent so he kissed her cheek and quickly rolled out of bed. He didn¡¯t want her to try to shake off her afterglow just to take care of his erection. It would go away and there would be other opportunities. Likely that morning.


    It was still early so she had at least another hour to sleep before she¡¯d have to get up and go to her apartment to get ready for work. He pulled the sheet up over her.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go for a run before work so you snuggle in and go back to sleep.¡± he whispered to her and hustled to the washroom to quickly freshen up. He then pulled on his shorts, running shirt, socks and runners. She was sound asleep as he slipped from the bedroom and left the apartment. He slipped his armband on, turned on his music yer, and picked the ylist he would run with as the lift took him to the lobby.


    He smiled and nodded to the concierge and the building¡¯s security team who smiled back at him. Then he was outside. He turned left this morning and set off in a random direction. All of the buildings in the region were surrounded by beautiful gardens and meandering paths running from building to building so his runs seemed to have something new to see pretty much every day.


    It didn¡¯t take him long to get into the zone where his legs were eating up the distance while his heart and lungs worked in perfect synchronization to deliver the oxygen to his working body. He wasn¡¯t heavily muscled but the ones he had were hard and fit from diligent exercise. His music yed along in the background giving his morning an energetic soundtrack.


    A few others were out doing their early morning exercises as well though no one quite matched his pace or covered the distance he did on his runs. As promised he spotted something new. An Altarian female whose fur waspletely ck! It had to be a dye job as this absolute ck was not a natural color for the race. Deep chocte brown was as dark as they went. Like Karrel.


    She was definitely at the top of the height range and quite a good runner. She kept pace with him for quite some time and he saw she was checking him out as well. He smiled at her and for the first time he didn¡¯t receive a smile back. Another novelty!


    With a final look she veered off onto a side trail. Before she slipped from sight a second all ck female ran out onto his trail passing the first. She was equally tall and fit. She stayed on the far side of the trail but also kept an eye on him. He didn¡¯t know what to make of this. He¡¯d never seen Altarians dye their fur before. To see two identical ones in a row boggled the mind.


    He heard the chime in his earphones indicating he needed to head back so he darted off the main path and took a smaller and rougher trail which would take him around a lovely pond in a densely wooded portion of the park. He quickly lost sight of the ebony furred runner.


    This route was far more technical as it was really just a narrow foot trail running around the pond between the trees. Not an official garden path, only foot traffic kept it clear of weeds and there were roots and other trip hazards to avoid but it kept him alert.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    He turned off his music to take in the ambiance of the forest and heard the sound of heavy breathing and fast footsteps rushing up behind him. Instinct made him grab the trunk of a tree on the uphill side and swing himself off the trail at thest second to drop into a crouch. The chaser tried to change directions too but collided with the tree Jack used as a pivot. There was a loud thunk as the Sanosian¡¯s skull mmed into the hard wood. Dazed, he dropped the knives he was carrying and stumbled backwards.


    A ck streak shot over Jack¡¯s head and hit the reptilian alien dead center of its chest with two cloven feet and kicked off. The Sanosian flew off the trail and tumbled backwards through six feet of forest before it rolled into the pond. Before its head went under Jack saw its look of terror. Desert dwellers, Sanosian¡¯s couldn¡¯t swim.


    Jack went to move towards the pond to get the alien out of the water. It couldn¡¯t have been more than five feet deep at this point but he felt a hand on his chest stopping him. He looked down into the dark serious eyes of the ck furred Altarian. She gestured for him to keep running as her twin arrived to walk down to the edge of the water and stare into its depths. When he didn¡¯t move the Altarian actually shoved him down the trail! He was so surprised he did as told and began running again. She took up position behind him and paced him all the way back to his apartment.


    As he entered the lobby he looked back to see the ebony Altarian but there was no sign of her. The concierge and the security team gave him smiles once more and he returned them with a wobbly smile of his own. He went upstairs and got ready for work. What an odd morning!


    When he entered the Trade Commission offices Me rushed up to him and gave him a big hug and a sparkling smile. Her hands were on his ass of course as they always were. He couldn¡¯t help but smile and hug her back. Of all of his staff Me was the most effervescent and upbeat. His unsettled mood quickly dissipated as she gazed up impishly at his face. Me wasn¡¯t blessed with height. In fact she was an inch shorter than the typical range. At only 4¡ä 9¡å most thought she was an adolescent but she was actually older than Leffera by a year. She was also one of the horniest Altarians Jack had ever met. She was very bold in her touches and speech but Jack hadn¡¯t acted on it out of fear of physically injuring the female. His endowments were considered average on Earth but by Altarian standards he was a giant among¡­ males. His other coworkers enjoyed watching him clumsily but gently fending her off once more. She blew him a kiss as she made her way back to her desk. That gesture came from a movie he¡¯d shown them a few weeks back and Me adopted it as her own.


    Before he headed to his office he stopped at Leffera¡¯s station. One of her duties was tracking his schedule and she would let him know if there had been any recent changes. He opened his mouth to ask but her eyes were locked on the doorway behind him. He turned and saw the two ebony Altarians on either side of the lightest blond female he¡¯d ever seen. The contrast between her and the other two was startling. The office went silent as all turned to look.

 7

    The blond Altarian spotted him and walked up. She bowed and he automatically returned it.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Hellna, Altaria¡¯s Security Minister. Is there a ce where we could speak in private?¡±


    ¡°Hello, Jack Danner. Yes, uh, we can go into my office. Please,¡± he gestured for her to follow him to the office in the corner.


    Hellna¡¯s escorts took positions on either side of his door and closed it behind them.


    They sat in the chairs by the window. The light was best there. Jack was taken by the exquisite coloring of her fur and theplimentary style and color of her gown. She had a sense of grace, poise, and authority about her and he felt himself sitting taller in his chair topensate.


    ¡°Would you care for any refreshments?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯m sorry for the sudden intrusion on your day but I needed to speak with you regarding the encounter you had this morning while you were exercising.¡±


    ¡°Is the Sanosian alright?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s quite dead. They drown remarkably quickly and cannot be resuscitated. Still it was a quicker death than he would have received had he returned to Sanosia withoutpleting his assignment.¡±


    ¡°His assignment?¡± Jack asked sickly, knowing what the answer would be.


    ¡°Yes, your assassination.¡± Hellna looked at him sympathetically. It wasn¡¯t every day you learned that someone wanted you dead and had taken steps to make it happen.


    ¡°Was this because I turned down the Sanosian¡¯s request to set up a resort on Callosephia?¡± Jack asked incredulously.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°While they would have loved to get a toe hold on ourtest colony world, it is our belief that your thwarting their efforts was likely not the source of the order to have you killed. We have reason to believe the Sanosian was a contract killer but the contract didn¡¯t originate on Sanosia. We haven¡¯t yet identified the source and it was an unfortunate ident that our agent knocked him into the water as we can¡¯t get information from him now that he¡¯s dead.¡±


    Jack leaned back in his chair. He seriously hadn¡¯t considered this possibility when he took the job of protecting the Altarians from the predations of other races, including Humans. He knew he had upset some people but enough to have him killed? If they had seeded the Altarians would have had to begin their hunt for another Trade Representative and Ambassador. Again, that didn¡¯t seem like a quick win for anyone considering how long it had taken them to find and choose him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what anyone would have to gain by killing me,¡± Jack mumbled.


    ¡°When we discover the ¡®who¡¯ maybe the ¡®why¡¯ will be evident,¡± Hellna said gently.


    He nodded then looked up. ¡°Am I still in danger? Are my friends in danger?¡± He looked to the door.


    Hellna smiled at his concern for his friends. ¡°No. There was only one assassin. Our Intelligence Agency is keeping close tabs on the movements of all of the yers and there hasn¡¯t been any other activity. You¡¯re safe for now. We¡¯ll keep in touch in case something else arises.¡± She stood. ¡°Thank you for your time.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your vignce!¡± he smiled as he stood and held out his hand. She smiled and looked down at it as he blushed. ¡°Sorry, shaking hands is a hard habit to break.¡±


    On impulse Hellna reached out and took his hand. Her grip was sure and strong and he saw her nostrils re as she leaned in a little.


    ¡°It was very nice to meet you,¡± Jack said, his voice unconsciously dropping an octave. Her warm and spicy scent was beginning to have an effect on him. Hellna reluctantly pulled her hand back and nodded quickly with a tremulous smile. ¡°It was good to meet you as well.¡±


    Jack opened his door and the two guards snapped to attention as Hellna stepped through. The two scented the air as their boss went by and looked back at Jack with wide eyes.


    ¡°Thank you for protecting me this morning,¡± he said to both as he couldn¡¯t identify which one had leapt over his head to strike down his assant.


    They both nodded and stared down at the bulge showing against his pants. Eyes got wider then they scrambled away after Hellna.


    Jack walked out to stand by Leffera¡¯s station again and asked her to gather the others. Soon he was surrounded by his coworkers. He wished they would pay less attention to his physical reaction to Hellna. Me was tantly staring and biting her lower lip. Geez! That so wasn¡¯t helping it go away!


    ¡°Listen I just wanted you to hear it from me before the rumor mill blows the story out of proportion. This morning while I was out running I was targeted by a Sinosian assassin.¡± The group gasped and closed in tighter around him. He understood this was likely herd behavior, like ¡®protect the males¡¯.


    ¡°The Altarian Security Ministry was on top of it and the twodies with the ck coloring stopped the assassin before he could get to me. There was only the one so the threat is over.¡± They moved closer still and made nervous sounds. More than a few reached out to touch him.


    Jack was feeling a little overheated so he thanked them and brought the gathering to an end. He moved carefully through the group, receiving a few more soft touches, then went back into his office and shut the door. His head began to feel a bit clearer without the cloud of spicy female musk scrambling his neurons. He walked over to his desk and dropped into the chair behind it with his hands on his face and his legs syed. He leaned back in thefortable chair and tried to rx for a moment.


    Then he felt hands taking his zipper down. Before he could react his stiff cock was exposed to the air and a long prehensile tongue was coiled around its girth. He looked down and there was Me, stroking him with her wet tongue and looking up at him with need in her eyes.


    ¡°Me¡­¡± he gasped.


    She sucked her tongue back into her mouth. ¡°Please don¡¯t send me away! You need this! I need this! You got us all flustered out there.¡±


    Me sucked his cock into her mouth and slid it all the way in until her lips were wrapped around its base. Jack¡¯s eyes rolled back in ecstasy as her tongue went to work caressing his balls. She began making short little strokes which caused the head of his cock to rub against the entrance to her throat.


    ¡°Oh fuck Me! That feels so good!¡± he gasped and her eyes twinkled with delight. She moved to long strokes from the head to the base and Jack groaned.


    When his breathing became rough Me lifted her head from his cock. His eyes opened and he looked at her desperately.


    ¡°I want you inside me. Please!¡± Me begged.


    ¡°I¡¯m too big for you!¡± he groaned, still worried about hurting her.


    ¡°I got your dimensions from the others. I¡¯ve been practicing to make myself ustomed to your size. Please!¡± she begged again and crawled up on hisp. She undid the sp on her gown and let it slip off to the floor. Me¡¯s fur was a beautiful honey gold and her stiff pink nipples stood at attention with her excitement.


    Jack grabbed her ass and lifted her until he could ce her top right side breast into his mouth. Me crooned her joy as he squeezed her ass. He slipped his right hand between her cheeks and ran his fingers over her wet opening. Her crooning got louder and she began to tremble. He got a good grip on Me¡¯s body and stood up. He gentlyid her on her back on his desk and kissed his way down her chest. She had very sensitive nipples so he refrained from using his teeth on them. Simply sucking on her breasts while running the tip of his tongue around and over her nipples was sending her to a very happy ce. She clutched at his head and released his hair from its ponytail so she could run her fingers through it. Her crooning increased as she luxuriated in the feel of his hair between her fingers, his lips on her nipples, and when his fingers slid into her wetness her crooning became even louder.


    She was a very tight fit for his fingers and he was doubtful that she was ready for something asrge as his cock.


    She paused in her crooning. ¡°Please! m it in me! I need your cock! Fuck me baby! I need it bad!¡±


    Jack pulled back with a snort and looked at Me in surprise. The shock was enough to pull him from his scent driven lust. Her eyes locked on his as his eyebrows rose. She looked away embarrassed. ¡°Is that not what is said when Humans have sex?¡±


    ¡°Maybe, sometimes, but where did you hear it?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°A visiting Human delegate was watching a movie on his personal entertainment yer and I watched over his shoulder.¡± she exined. ¡°I found it VERY stimting!¡± she grinned.


    ¡°Over his shoulder?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ from behind a decorative nter and over his shoulder.¡±


    He smiled then dipped his head between her thighs. He ran the tip of his tongue around her opening and she cried out clutching once more at his head. ¡°Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!¡± she chanted quietly and Jack was having difficulty keeping a straight face. The dirty talk was really making her wet so he plunged his tongue deeply into her and began to fuck her with it in time with her chanting. Her voice wobbled with the intense sensations roaring through her body.


    Jack was hard as iron and he really needed release so he decided to see if Me actually was capable of taking him. He stood up and ran the head of his cock across her dripping opening.


    When Me felt him touching her with his cock she squealed with joy. She had wanted this for so long! She got a little frantic trying to get him to m it in but he maintained control over the pace. Jack grabbed her ankles and held them together as he lifted her ass off of the desk. Then he pulled her a little closer to the edge. Finally he pressed the fat head of his cock against her slick but tight orifice. He was about to give up when the opening rxed and the head popped in.


    Me was in heaven. He was inside her! Just a little but it was a start. He was so big! She felt full already but she knew he was barely inside.


    Fuck! Me was so tight! He looked at her expression and it was obvious she wasn¡¯t in pain, yet. Jack leaned more weight on Me and felt his cock slowly slide into her wet but exceptionally tight channel. He kept an eye on her expression so he could stop at the slightest sign of pain. He couldn¡¯t get over the pressure on his cock!


    Me¡¯s croon dropped three octaves as she trembled and took his cock deeply inside her. Her climax was right there!

 8

    Jack wasn¡¯t going to be able to hold on. Her interior, wrapped so tightly around his cock was so velvety smooth and hot. Every tremble and squeeze came through as delicious vibrations pushing him closer to his own explosion. Finally he reached bottom and the head squeezed up against the entrance to her birth chamber. He felt the spongy mouth of the organ caressing the tip of his cock and groaned in pleasure as sparks shot through his nerves.


    She had all of him! Every glorious bit of his huge cock was stretching her wide! When the hot head kissed up against her deepest part she could hold back no longer. Her muscles mped down on his cock in rippling waves milking him as she felt him begin to shoot streams of hot cum into her very center.


    Jack threw back his head as his orgasm rocked through his body. This was the fastest he¡¯d ever gotten there. Me was so tight, hot and excited he¡¯d been swept away by her desire. She was draining him dry with her body¡¯s pulses and he felt that wonderful satisfied feeling from an incredible release. His cock slowly softened and slipped free from her tight grip. He leaned down and gently kissed her lips as she gasped in happiness.


    ¡°That was incredible Me! You were amazing and just what I needed!¡± he whispered to the panting female. She smiled up at him with twinkling eyes.


    ¡°It was wonderful, wasn¡¯t it!¡± she giggled.


    He smiled in surprise. In all the time he¡¯d been on Altaria he¡¯d never heard a female giggle before. It was delightful and he couldn¡¯t keep a silly grin from his face. He kissed her again and she returned it with vigor.


    ¡°OK, I should try to get some work done today,¡± he said with a smile. He picked Me up off the desk and set her on her hooves then he picked up her gown and she put it back on.


    She tilted her chin up and he gave her a final kiss on the lips and a pat on the bum as she headed for the door. He tucked himself away as he watched her sexy little walk.


    The moment the door opened a concerned Leffera stepped in and rushed over to his desk.


    ¡°What is it? What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You- You¡¯re being recalled to Earth! This correspondence just came in from Earth¡¯s Trade Commission. They want you to report to their headquarters,¡± she stuttered out.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just a routine matter, not a permanent recall. Nothing to be concerned about. When am I supposed to be there?¡± he asked calmly.


    ¡°Today!¡± she blurted.


    He leaned back with a surprised look. He took the notice from Leffera and read the minimal information on it. ¡°That is rather short notice.¡± He thought about the timing of the recall and the assassination attempt. He shook his head. He was being paranoid.


    ¡°Well, I suppose I should go pack a bag,¡± he said looking back at Leffera. Me was standing next to her and both had nervous looks on their beautiful faces. ¡°It will be ok!¡± he tried to assure them.


    Me got a determined look on her face and tapped out a message on her phone. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt to make the Altarian Security Minister aware of this.¡±


    He nodded and smiled thinking it may have been an overreaction but like she said, it couldn¡¯t hurt.


    Jack had to give Leffera and Me a quick hug and kiss before they¡¯d let him go. He saw quite a few other concerned faces as he left the office. Leffera must have informed the rest of the staff about the recall notice.


    After a quick stop at his apartment to get his travel case he took a cab to the Inteary Gate Network Terminal. The building was very busy with beings from manysing and going through the mirror surfaced Gates to many destinations. The Gates were controlled by a race of sentient machines called the Tik. Jack had met a few Tik at different official events and found them to be friendly and greatpany. Intelligent and thoughtful, they umted vast amounts of knowledge during their extraordinarily long lifespans and weed the chance to share it with others as long as you were willing to share your story with them. Considering each Tik shared its knowledge with other Tik it met, having them record your story was an honor, a digital immortality of sorts.


    Jack got into a line which moved quickly and was soon standing before the customs and security agent.


    She was a beautiful chocte brown and reminded Jack of Karrel. He took in the delicate shading around her eyes and recalled how simr this was to Karrel¡¯s eyes. Man, he missed her.


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°Oh! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m in a bit of a daze. You look very much like someone I know,¡± Jack said with a wistful smile.


    ¡°I will take that as apliment,¡± the female smiled coyly.


    ¡°Yes, you should,¡± he returned. ¡°I¡¯m Jack Danner. Trade Representative for Earth and Altarian Ambassador. I¡¯m heading back to Earth for a meeting.¡±


    The female¡¯s eyes grew wide and her smile broadened as well. ¡°It¡¯s very nice to meet you Jack Danner! I am Marrell. My cousin Denee works with you in the Embassy. She has some¡­ exciting stories about you and your movie parties.¡± Jack recalled Denee. She was exceptionally vocal during sex¡­ and insatiable. He didn¡¯t get much sleep that night. Marrell looked away from him licking her lips and tapped away at her screen for a second. An area of the screen began to blink and she looked up at him. ¡°There is a notice asking for you to wait for a moment for your escort.¡±


    ¡°Escort?¡±


    Marrell tapped her screen and it went dark. ¡°If you wille this way, I will take you to a waiting lounge where you can rest until your escort arrives.¡± She opened the small door in the counter and guided him through. Another female stepped up to the empty terminal, activated the screen and processed the next person in line.


    Jack was led to a door then down a hall to another door which opened on a small sitting room. He stepped inside over by the couch and set his bag on a low table. Merrell closed the door behind her and walked closer.


    ¡°Is there anything I can get you while you wait? A beverage? Something to eat? Anything?¡± she said softly as she slowly stepped closer. Her nostrils red as she took in his scent. He was feeling quite warm as her body got closer and he saw her licking her lips again. His eyes locked onto the pink of her tongue against her wet ck lips. Her eyes were getting ssy and he could see her excitement in the fact that her nipples were doing their best to poke through her gown.


    Jack inhaled her sweet, hot musk and his head began to spin. Karrel¡¯s scent had switched from spicy to sweet during thest month they¡¯d enjoyed each other¡¯spany. He had no idea what that meant but it was intoxicating. He reached up and took her face gently between his hands. He dipped his head down and slid his lips across hers. She gasped, trembled and slipped her tongue into his mouth. He tangled his own around it and gently sucked on it.


    His hands moved down to undo the sp on her gown. As it slipped to the floor he ced his hands on her top breasts and squeezed them. Her nipples were taut and sensitive and she gasped into his mouth.


    He put his arms around her body and lifted her against him. He turned andid her out on the couch. He kissed her once forcing his tongue deep into her mouth and she grabbed at his ass pulling him down to rub against her. Her eyes went wide when she felt his size and how hard he was.


    Jack pulled back from the kiss, breathing hard. Her musk swirled around his head and his cock just got harder. He slipped down her torso and sucked on each of her nipples as she thrashed under him. His mouth went lower still until he fastened it upon her drenched opening. He stroked the surface with the t of his tongue and she began a warbling croon. In his lustful daze he thought he was with Karrel as these were sounds that she had made thest time they¡¯d had sex. It was confusing but he wanted her so badly. He pushed his tongue deep into Marrell¡¯s opening and drank her fluids. So sweet! He gulped it down and scooped more with his tongue. Her hands were tangled in his hair as she pulled his head tighter against her gushing opening. He continued to swallow her sweet nectar. The warble became very loud and Jack was beginning to worry someone would hear them. He pulled back and she sprayed his face as she came hard.


    He heard the door open then m shut behind him and this was enough to clear his head a little. He realized the woman before him was open and ready for more. He wanted more. He unzipped his pants and pulled his hard cock out. He moved up to slide himself into her wet opening when the door suddenly opened behind him and hands grabbed his arms. They dragged him bodily out into the hallway and once he was sitting on the floor hands tucked his cock back into this pants and zipped him up. A jet ck Altarian stepped back into the room, returned with his bag, and closed the door. The other ck female wiped his face clean with a damp cloth then aimed a device at his face which blew cool mint scented air over him.


    ¡°Breathe deep,¡± she said, speaking for the first time. Her voice sounded off.


    Jack followed her directions and breathed in the refreshing air. His head cleared and he looked closely at the female with the fan device. She was wearing something in her nose. A filter of some kind?


    The one carrying his bag knelt down and looked him closely in the face. She was also wearing the nose filter. ¡°Did you have sex with that female? Did you ejacte in her?¡± she said sternly.


    Jack was still confused. ¡°What? No, we didn¡¯t get that¡­ Why?¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

 9

    The two looked at each other and something passed between them. Some subtle bodynguage that Jack couldn¡¯t read. They didn¡¯t answer but lifted him to his feet instead.


    ¡°We are your escort,¡± the one with the fan said as she tucked it away. The other one handed him his bag. They both removed the nose filters and slipped them into a belt hidden under their gowns.


    ¡°Why am I getting an escort? It¡¯s Earth. I¡¯m from there. I¡¯m just returning to speak to my employer. Why do I need an escort for that?¡±


    The stern one scowled at him. His eyebrows rose. He¡¯d never seen that expression on an Altarian face. He struggled to keep from smiling as it looked so cute!


    The other one gestured they should walk back to where the customs area was. She answered him. ¡°You are also the Altarian Ambassador. There has been an attempt on your life. When you leave Altaria you must be apanied by an escort.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± he said, surprised. He didn¡¯t see the harm in that. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Nobody mentioned that to me before.¡± He smiled at them but they just looked back at him. ¡°Uh, do you have names? You know mine.¡±


    They looked at each other once more and he swore that they were having an entire conversation before him without saying a word. The scowler spoke first.


    ¡°Bal.¡±


    ¡°Gee.¡±


    ¡°These are your names? I¡¯ve never heard such short names on Altaria before,¡± he eximed.


    Gee just nodded as they went out into the customs area again. The line was much longer now and he sighed thinking of the dy. His escorts each held a hand up to the waiting queue of people and took him directly to the front of the line. The female who reced Marrell looked up at him in delight then saw the cool looks of the escorts and quickly processed his exit for the Gate. She smiled at Jack and showed him the symbol of the Gate he was to enter in a few minutes. He thanked her and followed his escort down the hall to the Gate.


    Jack had only travelled through the Gate Network once before and that time he¡¯d passed through three of them to get to Altaria. Today he was apparently getting special treatment of a single hop to Earth. They approached the Gate and he saw his reflection staring back at him. The surface was perfectly smooth and t. A Tik had once told him that the original Gates had been a physically difficult ordeal to pass through for many organic species but one of the original designers had ventured to Earth and worked with scientists there to perfect it. Now passing through a Gate was effortless and left only a temporary and pleasant tingling sensation.


    They walked forward right into their reflections and walked out into a well-lit terminal building on Earth. Jack felt the minor change in the gravity. His body reacted with a strange sensation offort. His body was home but his mind and heart were definitely back on Altaria. He looked to Bal and Gee and tookfort in their presence. He approached the customs desk which indicated ¡®government officials only¡¯ above it. Nice for the local government to vote in a practice to expedite travel for themselves. Not that he wasining now at the front of the line. The bored agent waved him forward.


    ¡°Name, Department, and reason for your visit,¡± the man droned then looked up. ¡°Excuse me, you two need to move to one of the ¡®Alien Visitor¡¯ agents.¡±


    ¡°Actually, they¡¯re with me,¡± Jack said with a smile.


    ¡°And you are?¡± the man said belligerently.


    Jack put his hand on the biometric reader. ¡°I¡¯m Jack Danner. Altarian Trade Representative for Earth. I¡¯m also the Altarian Ambassador and as such these two are my escort. Apparently ambassadors are not allowed to travel unescorted.¡±


    The agent tapped his screen and read the result from the biometric scan. He looked up at Jack suspiciously. ¡°What is the purpose of your visit?¡±


    ¡°I was recalled by my boss at the Trade Commission headquarters.¡± he answered.


    ¡°These two are not authorized to travel beyond the terminal,¡± the agent said tly.


    ¡°Well then, I guess I¡¯ll just go back to Altaria and you can inform the Head of the Earth Trade Commission why I was turned away. Thanks!¡± He made to walk back to the Gate and the two Altarians marched right with him.


    ¡°Wait!¡± the agent shouted behind Jack. He stopped and looked back at the agent who was waving at him to return. He approached the desk again with both escorts at his sides.


    ¡°Ambassador is the same as Diplomat right? I can authorize their entry if you ept responsibility for them under your Diplomatic authority,¡± the man grumbled.


    Jack looked at Gee who nodded.


    ¡°That sounds fine,¡± Jack smiled and signed the screen where the agent indicated. Two small stic bands came out of a slot on the agent¡¯s desk.


    ¡°They have to wear these at all times as they are your responsibility,¡± the agent growled.


    ¡°Trackers?¡± Jack asked and the agent froze. Then he nodded slightly.


    Jack handed each of his escorts one of the bands. They tucked them into their belts.


    ¡°They have to wear them!¡± the agent growled.


    ¡°The bands are active are they not? They are on their persons so they can be found. These females wear no ornamentation. They cannot. This is something else I will take responsibility for,¡± Jack said.


    The agent just scowled then pointed to the exit. Jack smiled and bowed slightly before he left. The three made it out to the transportation station and moved to the limo area. They didn¡¯t have to wait long before they were in the back of afortable automated vehicle. Jack let it read his biometric identity then gave the name of the Trade Commission headquarters and confirmed the location when the screen disyed the match. The limo pulled away from the curb on its gravity repulsion technology and smoothly sped towards the city on the gravity slipping field.


    In the early days of the Gate Network on Earth, the limo¡¯s technology was imported from one of the visiting alien races. It destroyed Earth¡¯s automotive industry and all of its support industries and put many humans out of work. Now he enjoyed itsforts. He shook his head. It hadn¡¯t been all bad news. The demise of the automotive industry had some very positive impacts on the environment of the. Not that those out of work cared at the time.


    Jack pulled himself out of his funk and looked at the two Altarians who were busy taking in the scenery.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I overstepped my bounds when I spoke for you with the customs agent back there,¡± Jack said.


    Gee looked at him. ¡°No. You defused the situation quite well. We have been informed that we must have these bands but you have identified them as trackers and have prevented them from being attached to us. This is very good.¡±


    Bal nodded at him. She wasn¡¯t smiling but at least the scowl was no longer in ce.


    He nodded to the two females and they returned their attention to the view. Then he noted that they were watching the vehicles passing and following. They weren¡¯t sightseeing at all. He felt guilty for assuming that. These were professionals.


    Soon they were in front of the imposing building Jack had entered so many months ago hoping beyond hope for a job. At that time he had no way of knowing his life would change so dramatically. Bal exited first then Jack and finally Gee. There were some gardens in front of the building and both Bal and Gee immediately stepped in front of Jack then froze.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Something in the flowers! Erratic movement and bright colors!¡± Gee said tersely.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Jack looked as Bal prepared to grab him and run.


    ¡°Butterflies.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Gee said.


    ¡°The brightly colored flittering things by the garden are butterflies. Insects that pollinate flowers. You couldn¡¯t find a less threatening creature on Earth than a butterfly.¡± Jack said. ¡°They didn¡¯t brief you at all on Earth did they?¡±


    Gee and Bal looked embarrassed and Bal¡¯s scowl returned.


    ¡°We¡¯re not likely to meet any creatures that pose a threat to us. Aside from Humans,¡± Jack said and set off through the garden towards the building¡¯s entrance.


    As he passed through the flowers a butterflynded on his shoulder and Bal twitched. Then a secondnded and a third. By the time he got to the door at least a dozen of the beautiful creatures were catching a ride. He stopped, looked down at the slowly pping butterflies and grinned at the two Altarians.


    ¡°I have no idea why they are so attracted to my shirt but we better get them off before I go inside.¡± He said, lifting one of the creatures up as it clung to his finger. Gee looked closer and almost smiled. He swore her ck eyes twinkled as they studied the bright shimmering wings. She pulled out the little fan device and aimed it at the butterflies. They weren¡¯t fond of this mint scent and they all released their grip on Jack and flew off.


    Jack smiled again and entered the building following Bal. They approached the security checkpoint and Jack realized the two Altarians were probably not going to be able to get through. He was about to say something when Bal walked through the metal detector with no trouble at all. He shrugged and put his bag on the conveyor and walked through the detector followed by Gee. He gathered his bag and went up the lift to the office where he¡¯d been given the job. He recognized no one so he went to the reception desk.


    ¡°Hello, may I help you?¡± a pleasant looking woman sitting behind the desk asked him.


    ¡°Yes, my name is Jack Danner and I-¡± he began but was interrupted.


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Danner, please take a seat and I¡¯ll let the Director know you have arrived.¡±


    He smiled and walked over to the chairs. He didn¡¯t tell the Altarians to sit. While it looked like they were admiring the office he knew they were working. Covering the angles. Watching for threats. He stayed out of their way though he was convinced it wasn¡¯t necessary.


    The Director arrived with two security officers standing behind him. Jack stood up and approached the man. He had only a hazy memory of him from the time he¡¯d been here. There hadn¡¯t been any direct involvement between them at the time. Still, this was the man who had been issuing all of the angry notices to him and he was Jack¡¯s direct report.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Director Goodson. Jack Danner reporting as requested,¡± he said with a smile.


    Bal and Gee were now behind him on either side keeping an eye on the two security personnel.


    ¡°Mr. Danner, my recall notice said nothing about bringing Altarians with you. What is the meaning of this?¡± Goodson growled.


    ¡°When I was epted to be the Trade Representative I was also appointed to be the Altarian Ambassador and these escorts were assigned to me. The ambassador does not leave Altaria without them, so I understand. This being my first time off the since the appointment it came as a surprise to me as well.¡±


    ¡°Well you¡¯re here as an employee of this office so they will need to remain in the reception area while we meet,¡± the director growled.

 10

    Jack was getting tired of being growled at. He looked at Bal and Gee to see their opinion of the idea. Both gave him a brief head shake.


    ¡°It seems that¡¯s not going to work. You see, this morning there was an attempt to assassinate me and they are a little sensitive to me being out of their sight. That said, they are very quiet and as my sworn protectors they cannot divulge anything they hear in my presence to anyone without my permission. That should take care of any confidentiality issues,¡± he bluffed.


    The Director was looking a little agitated as were the security men. After a moment of consideration he nodded. ¡°Very well, follow me.¡±


    The security men led the way deeper into the office and stopped outside a conference room. They took up positions outside of the room and the Director went inside. Jack followed Bal and Gee brought up the rear. Bal and Gee took positions on the wall opposite the door and Jack took the chair between them also facing the door. The Director took the chair at the head of the table closest to the door. They¡¯d just settled in when the Director¡¯s phone chirped. He looked at it.


    ¡°I have to take this. A moment please,¡± he said and left the room.


    A few moments passed then Gee quickly walked to the door and looked back at Bal. More bodymunication went between them but in his mind Jack pretended he could hear what they were saying:


    Gee: ¡°It¡¯s locked.¡±


    Bal: ¡°I¡¯ll look for alternate exits.¡±


    She was scanning the walls and pointed out two venttion ducts with her eyes.


    Bal: ¡°The vents.¡±


    Gee: ¡°No good for the fat human.¡±


    Jack felt oddly giddy as he watched them and chuckled to himself until he found his head slipping forward to thump against the table surface. He was unable to move his body and felt his mind sliding into darkness. Before he went under he felt Gee step close and force her hand into the front of his pants. Something cold touched the underside of his cock where it rested against his balls.


    He thought that was rather rude, her touching him like that but¡­ darkness took him before he could say something.


    He was drowning! He gasped for breath as water sshed over his face and chest. He sputtered then winced as sharp pains shot through his head. Man, he had a killer headache!


    ¡°Time to wake up,¡± said a calm voice.


    His surroundings slowly came back to him. He was soaking wet and chilled to the bone. He couldn¡¯t see anything in front of him as three intense spot lights shone directly on his face. The light stabbed into his brain and he looked down to avoid the pain.


    When he could open his eyes he saw he was strapped down to a¡­ barber¡¯s chair which felt like it might be bolted down. The floor was grey, concrete?


    ¡°What happened? Where am I? What happened to-¡± he almost mentioned their names. ¡°Where¡¯s my escort?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite enough questions from you. What we need to hear now are some answers,¡± a new voice said, sharp and angry. Younger than the first voice, maybe. Male at least.


    He tried looking towards the voices again but he couldn¡¯t see beyond the bright lights. His body felt strange and he definitely had some bruising he didn¡¯t have before. Jack hoped Bal and Gee were alright. He¡¯d y along to buy time but he had no idea what was going on or how much time he had.


    ¡°OK, ask me a question,¡± he croaked.


    ¡°Who is rejecting our products?¡± barked a third voice. Loud, angry and definitely male. Older.


    ¡°Geez, can you be a little more specific? There are a lot of products submitted for approval on Altaria,¡± he groaned.


    There was a muted sound of arguing then the first voice came back. This one was more unsettling due to its calmness.


    ¡°The military contractor products are all being systematically rejected. We¡¯ve also noticed a pattern in your work as the Altarian Ambassador. You¡¯ve prevented some very lucrative rtionships between the Altarian Colonies and certain allies of ours. These rtionships corrted to certain products we¡¯ve been trying to convince the Altarians to adopt for those worlds.¡±N?velDrama.Org content.


    The voice was smooth and hinted at an expensive education. He caught an ent. A certain crispness on the consonants and a strange stretch to the vowels. Too bad he was useless at cing ents. What he could get from the voice was a sensation of deadly intent. He felt his gut tighten.


    Jack racked his memory for what the voice was talking about then something clicked. The desert warfare weapons package a contractor insisted was the perfect option for the Altarians on Callosephia. His radar had gone off like crazy when the vendor was so insistent that they¡¯d be specifically suitable to be used for the new colony. He HAD rejected that AND he¡¯d rejected the Sanosian¡¯s request to set up a ¡®resort¡¯ in the desert of that.


    ¡°The Altarian Trade Commissioner is the ultimate authority over these decisions. I¡¯m the Trade Representative for Earth. If the Commissioner feels the product isn¡¯t suitable that¡¯s that,¡± he said frankly. Sweat began to bead on his forehead as the hot spot lights beat down on him and his nerves strained. He started to miss the bucket of cold water he¡¯d met earlier.


    ¡°You see, this is where the issue lies. We simply don¡¯t believe you. We think you are making those decisions,¡± the cold voice said with a deadly calm.


    ¡°Wow. If that were true I guess that would make me a really important man,¡± he said.


    ¡°Indeed it would,¡± the voice said with just the slightest humor in it.


    ¡°But even if it wasn¡¯t you seem to be missing a vital and publicly avable piece of information. Proving you are colossally dumb.¡± There was a sudden sound of chairs being shoved back and someone being restrained.


    Jack pressed on. ¡°Earth finally has ess to billions of consumers. A virtual goldmine for generations toe. And you are threatening that for your own greedy little corner of it? The Sanosian assassin? How did that make any sense? If he had been sessful then Earth would have been back to sending delegates to try to open the market.¡±


    ¡°Why? We would have just sent a recement.¡± The angry voice was back.


    ¡°Which would have been rejected. They exined it pretty clearly but you obviously didn¡¯t understand their intent. I¡¯m Earth¡¯s Trade Representative. Without me, specifically me, there will be NO trade. Read the contract. It¡¯s avable online. It doesn¡¯t generically say Earth¡¯s Trade Representative. It says Jack Danner. Whiches back to you being really¡­ really¡­ dumb. There are a lot of people, Hell, countries whose livelihood you are fucking around with right now. They will not be¡­ pleased if you screw this up for them. The Altarian Security Ministry was notified that I was recalled to Earth. My escorts work for them. They will be expecting me back¡­ soon.¡±


    There was silence for a time. Jack sat quietly and waited. Time was on his side. He hoped. Sweat trickled down his temples which had begun to itch terribly.


    ¡°What made them choose you?¡± the calm voice was back. A new ploy?


    Jack chuckled. ¡°Really? You want me to tell you the secret to having the Altarians pick a recement for me? Dumb.¡±


    A chair behind the lights toppled this time and a beefy man rushed up to Jack from behind the lights and swung a mighty punch at his face. Time weirdly slowed as he took in the details of his attacker.


    Tall. Ex-military. Buzz cut grey hair. Enormous muscles. Old, faded tattoos on his arms. Hate in his beady little pig eyes. Badly set ttened nose. Grimace of rage on this thin lipped mouth. Spittle? Ugh. Spittle.


    The iing fist looked like a sledge hammer as it came in to crush his face. Jack leaned his head into the punch and took the hit on the side of his forehead by his temple.


    CRACK!


    Jack¡¯s head rocked from the impact but he didn¡¯t go out as he¡¯d expected. The chair¡¯s tight restraints kept him from moving. He hoped he might buy some time by passing out. The punch hurt like hell and his head rang like a bell but he snapped back to focus far faster than he expected. He opened his eyes.


    The man was clutching his wrist and screaming in agony at the three broken bones sticking out of the back of his hand. The mangled fingers dangled at unnatural angles.


    Jack¡¯s eyes went wide with shock.


    A younger man wearing a kerchief mask came forward and gathered the injured man, leading him back behind the lights. There was the sound of a door opening and closing. The cold voice came back.


    ¡°Obviously you won¡¯t volunteer the answer. Of course we know that but you have to know there are ways to get the information from you. Methods far more effective and efficient than those demonstrated by our hastypatriot.¡±


    There was a sudden sound of a gunshot.


    ¡°Ourte, hastypatriot,¡± the voice got just a little colder.


    He heard the sound of the door opening and closing once more. Jack assumed this was the masked man returning to join the interrogation. His stomach got a little tighter.

 11

    ¡°That is truly terrifying but there is still one more hitch in that n. I have no idea why they chose me. My memory was wiped after the meeting just like every other applicant. That¡¯s how the game works. Everyone gets their memory erased. Even the winner. This guarantees they can use it again when my time is over. The game goes back to square one for everyone. So I couldn¡¯t tell you if I wanted to.¡±


    More silence ensued. Then fierce whispering.


    Jack was getting nervous. They were beginning to sound desperate.


    There was another loud gunshot and Jack jumped. That shot was from within the room. The cold voice came back.


    ¡°So¡­ there was no way to win from the start. It was a fixed game.¡±


    ¡°Well, you were trying to cheat and the game doesn¡¯t allow for that.¡± Jack said cautiously.


    ¡°Then maybe it won¡¯t be such a loss to reset the game.¡± The voice was so very cold and Jack¡¯s mouth went dry.


    ¡°Is- is that a butterfly?¡±


    Brilliant blue wings pped erratically until itnded on Jack¡¯s forehead. He looked up in confusion.


    A second onended on his shoulder followed by a third on his chest.


    ¡°What the hell- URK!¡± There was a thump of someone falling. Jack felt like he was going to throw up, his stomach was so tied up in knots.


    Then the spot lights turned off one by one and Jack was staring at Gee standing over two bodies. The kerchief man was dead from a bullet wound to the chest. Another many unconscious on the ground behind a fallen chair. Gee was tying him up so Jack assumed this was the cold voiced man and he was still alive.


    Bal entered from the door behind the lights and gestured to Gee. Gee pointed to their prisoner then walked over to Jack. She pushed her hand back down into his pants and retrieved a small metal disk she¡¯d hid between his cock and balls. A tracker. She moved on to removing the straps. Once he was free she swished the butterflies away from his head. She bleated then froze when she saw the injury.


    Jack was surprised by her sudden outburst and raised his hands to feel the injury. She quickly stopped his hands and shook her head. She opened up a pocket on her belt and fastened a bandage over the spot with tape. Then she looked at his other temple, paused, and fastened a bandage on that side too. Her dark eyes were troubled and Jack was worried.


    ¡°Did they injure me when I was drugged?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Please do not remove the bandages until we get home to see a doctor about your¡­ injuries,¡± Gee said looking into his eyes. She held his hands as she said it and he nodded.


    ¡°Butterflies?¡± he asked.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°A most dangerous creature. Excellent diversionary skills,¡± Bal said walking up to them. ¡°The Earth Council Security Forces will be here shortly.¡±


    Jack¡¯s adrenalin was quickly depleting so he sank back against the chair. The butterflies returned to their perch. He didn¡¯t have the energy to swish them away.


    Two hourster he was sitting in another conference room but this time they didn¡¯t close the door and several members of the Earth Council and their Security Force were in the room with them.


    ¡°Once more we would like to offer our sincerest apologies to you for this most egregious attack upon your person,¡± the Secretary of Something Something said to him in earnest.


    ¡°It¡¯s OK. I just want someone on your Security team to follow through and track down any other participants in their little scheme. Start with Director Goodson and those Security Goons. It had to be far reaching considering the scope of their n. Treaties between some Humans and some Sanosians at the very least. Find out and smoke them out. Okay? We¡¯re going to be watching from our end, right?¡± he said looking at Gee who nodded with her eyes fixed on the security chief.


    ¡°Now, I want to go back to Altaria. I¡¯m done here for now. I will be taking a short break, probably a few days, just to settle my nerves, then we can get back to business as usual. Sound good?¡± Jack said with a smile which was immediately and gratefully returned by the Earth Council members who had expected some retaliation or petty demands. That wasn¡¯t Jack¡¯s style.


    He stood and his stomach cramped again. He felt flushed and swayed a little before he got his bearings. They looked at him. ¡°Sorry, my nerves must be a little more frayed that I thought. I¡¯m ok.¡±


    Bal and Gee hustled Jack back to the sidewalk where a Security Forces armoured carrier picked them up and took them back to the Gate Terminal. They walked straight in and up to the customs and security agent. A lovely woman with raven hair and captivating emerald eyes stood behind the counter. She smiled at Jack and he felt more than a little dazzled. She was as tall as he was so he was able to look straight at her. He smiled back and realized he was a little out of practice with speaking with Human women.


    ¡°Uh, hi, I¡¯m Jack Danner. The Altarian Trade Representative for Earth and the Altarian Ambassador. These lovelydies are my security escort and we are going back to Altaria,¡± he ended with a smile of his own and felt his face getting a very warm. The agent had the most amazing eyes.


    The woman¡¯s smile grew and she bit her lower lip as she nced at him while she tapped at her screen.


    Jack caught Gee and Bal frantically gesturing at each other. Each was striking their nose filters against their palms as something seemed to be wrong with them. He turned back to the woman¡­ the beautiful woman who had undone the top two buttons on her blouse. My, that was a lot of skin being exposed. Round, soft, waiting to be touched, kissed¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m Diana,¡± she held out her hand and he took it in his and marveled at its softness. He raised it to his lips and Diana began to tremble. As he caressed the skin of her knuckles with his lips a flush appeared on her cheeks and ran down her neck to color that lovely expanse of skin her open blouse was exposing. She squeaked in surprise and disappointment when Gee and Bal each took one of Jack¡¯s arms and dragged him away.


    ¡°Call me!¡± Diana called out to Jack as his escorts fast walked him into the terminal. Gee and Bal were desperately holding their breath as they tugged the dazed and supremely lustful man towards his gate. He pulled the two back against him and squeezed their bodies to his. They couldn¡¯t hold their breath any longer and gasped. Then they frantically renewed their efforts to get Jack through the gate. He looked at the mirror surface and his mind came back to him for a second. There was something weird about those two bandages. Then they were through.


    Gee immediately made a call then grabbed Jack and kissed him hard. Her tongue frantically danced against his and he clung to her more fiercely. Bal was clutched against his other side and was rubbing against his leg.

 12

    An evacuation rm suddenly went off and a group of security guards in breather masks rushed in and dragged the three out of the terminal and into a waiting transport. Bal was now deeply kissing Jack who was on the floor of the truck with the two ebony females clinging to his chest. He alternated kissing Bal then Gee and they ran their hands over his groin until they arrived at their destination. The Security team pulled them from the truck and scrambled into the hospital.


    ¡°Quarantine Protocol!¡± one of the agents called out and the halls cleared. Gee and Bal were pried away from Jack and were taken into side rooms to be sealed behind closed doors.


    They continued to hustle Jack down a hallway. He saw they were at a hospital and vaguely worried that someone was sick or injured.


    Then he was lifted onto a bed and strapped down. The team rushed from the room and the door was closed.


    Jack¡¯s head spun. The tingling pressure in his groin was intense. He needed release but he saw he was well and truly trapped in the bed. His forehead throbbed and itched terribly. He rested his head back and soon slipped into a restless sleep.


    When he woke he saw a number of females in breathing masks standing around his bed. He had a clear bag dripping its contents through a tube into his left arm and a cloudy bag dripping into a tube connected to his right arm. He looked down at the fierce tingling and saw he was tenting the sheets. His scalp was still itching like crazy. He tried talking but the oxygen mask over his mouth muffled his words. There was a hiss sound and he slipped once more into a deep sleep.


    The next time he woke he felt rested and the pressure was gone. He saw he was no longer tenting the sheets and most wonderful of all Karrel was standing beside the bed.


    ¡°Karrel! You¡¯re back! I¡¯ve missed you!¡± he blurted then felt stupid as he knew Altarians didn¡¯t maintain those kinds of rtionships.


    ¡°Hello Jack! I hope you are feeling better!¡± she smiled.


    He drank in her slim build, chocte brown coloring and her lovely eyes. He couldn¡¯t help himself. She might not have the same longing for a long term rtionship but his human sensitivities did. Then her words registered.


    ¡°Have I been sick?¡± he asked.


    He looked down and saw he was no longer in restraints. ¡°Why was I in restraints?¡± he asked. He turned his head and something felt different. He started to reach up and Karrel caught his hands. She smiled at him.


    ¡°Wait for the doctor. She¡¯ll be here in a moment,¡± she said.


    He gripped her hands and tookfort in their simple touch. ¡°How have you been? I was told that you were having meetings with the Regency! That must have been exciting!¡±


    Karrel smiled broadly and squeezed his hands. ¡°I¡¯ve been very well. I have much to tell you but here¡¯s your doctor who also needs to speak to you. I¡¯ll leave you two alone.¡±


    ¡°No! I mean, please stay,¡± Jack blurted.


    The doctor, a light almost white blond Altarian nodded in agreement. ¡°Hello, Mr. Danner. I¡¯m Jinnae, the Chief Physician here at the hospital. The first thing I want you to know is that you are currently perfectly healthy. What you have gone through has not affected your general health.¡±


    Jack smiled and felt relief. Karrel gave him a happy smile.


    The doctor continued. ¡°That said, you¡¯ve had a rather unique reaction to your time spent here on Altaria. We¡¯re trying to determine exactly why you reacted in the way you did and the closest we can get is that it was abination of a rare Altarian virus, a gic predisposition, and environmental factors. The exact measure of each of theseponents is unknown. We can say with great confidence that your condition has stabilized and you seem to have reached the end of the changes your body was undergoing. Again, you are very healthy!¡±


    ¡°Why does my head feel funny?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Before I answer that I need to ask you just a few questions so we can pinpoint some of those factors that led to the reaction. Can you tell me how many times you have mated with Altarian females since you¡¯ve been here?¡± Jinnae asked.


    Jack was surprised by the forward question. ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t tell you a number,¡± he replied, embarrassed.


    ¡°Well, can you tell me how frequently you have sex?¡± she returned.


    He squirmed as he worked out the estimate. ¡°On average¡­ two to four times a day¡­ but sometimes only once!¡±


    The doctor looked at him in shock then at Karrel who was smiling fondly at Jack. ¡°Every day? Since you arrived?¡± the doctor asked.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Is that bad?¡± he blurted.


    ¡°No! Just¡­ surprisingly frequent. So you¡¯ve been exposed to female musk every day for an extended period of time.¡± she said tapping on her tablet. He nodded.


    ¡°Doctor, Jack also does something our males do not do. He ingests female sexual secretions¡­ from the source.¡± Karrel blushed.


    ¡°Ingests¡­ orally? He uses his mouth down there?¡± she whispered looking shocked.


    ¡°Yes, it is extremely stimting and never fails to deliver the most powerful and wonderful org-¡±


    ¡°Karrel!¡± Jack yelped, embarrassed.


    ¡°Sorry, but the doctor needs to know!¡± she chastised him.


    ¡°I see, uh, do you make this part of every sexual liaison?¡± she asked, intimidated.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Not every time but¡­ many. Most.¡± he confessed.


    ¡°Have you- have you ingested the secretions of a fertile female. One who is not taking contraceptives and is at her time of peak ovtion?¡± the doctor asked Jack as her hands fidgeted on her tablet.


    ¡°How would I know?¡± he asked.


    ¡°The liquids¡­ they would be sweeter from an increase in sugars.¡±


    He looked at Karrel then recalled Marrell. ¡°Yes, first from Karrel before she left to visit the Regency and just before I left for Earth I had sex with a Customs agent named Marrell. Her¡­ secretions were very sweet and I¡­ ingested arge quantity,¡± he blushed fiercely.


    The doctor shared a look with Karrel. ¡°I think we have a pretty good idea of the environmental factors contributing to your change.¡±


    Jack¡¯s forehead was beginning to itch so he lifted his hands to rub at it. His fingers gave him relief but he found something new.


    ¡°What- What¡¯s on my forehead?¡± he gasped.


    The doctor tapped her tablet and turned it to face him. The camera picked up his face and he saw, rising from his forehead, starting at his hairline, two symmetrical white streaked wide ck horns curving back to a point roughly eight inches back. He also noted his hair was considerably longer.


    ¡°Horns? I¡¯ve got- horns?¡± he croaked. Frightened he threw back the sheets and looked for other changes. He was naked but at least everything seemed human.

 13

    The doctor and Karrel were both looking at his cock so he pulled the sheet back to cover himself. ¡°What the hell happened to me?¡± he yelled.


    ¡°It would take an in-depth study to truly pinpoint the exact cause but if I had to guess I would say it was abination of things. Your¡­ lifestyle exposed you to the musk of females in heat over an extended period of time. You also ingested potent fertilization hormones from the secretions of multiple ovting females. These on their own couldn¡¯t have done it butbined with your particr gics you became receptive to a very rare but typically benign Altarian virus. For us the virus simply causes a dormant pigment gene to activate causing monochromatism, the gic alteration of our fur and eye coloring to a single shade. Typically ck or white. For you it bonded some dormant Altarian genes into your gic sequence. Back at the dawn of our race all of our males once had proud and full horns like you now wear. The trait still remains in our genes but it is dormant. For you, they activated. Your horns are very attractive,¡± Jinnae said with a smile.


    ¡°Except I¡¯m Human and we¡¯ve never had horns. It¡¯s going to be highly problematic for me to return to Earth looking like this. Can you remove them?¡±


    The doctor looked shocked and appalled at the suggestion then shook her head. ¡°No, they¡¯re integral to the structural integrity of your skull now. It would leave your brain cavity vulnerable to damage if they were removed.¡±


    ¡°So, they¡¯re permanent,¡± he groaned.


    ¡°Yes, but they really are very attractive,¡± she said and bit her lip. ¡°Uh, if you have further questions I can be reached by calling the nurses station.¡± With that she fled the room in a cloud of musk.


    Karrel moved closer and took his hand again as he was looking a little lost. ¡°There is something else that¡¯s changed for you. Well, two things really but I¡¯ll let you know the second one tomorrow when you¡¯ve had time to process this.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    He looked up at her with a worried expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing,¡± she smiled. ¡°You know females emit a musk which signals willingness to mate?¡± She smiled and nodded towards the doorway where the doctor just fled. ¡°Males constantly emit a musk which broadcasts their suitability for mating. It¡¯s like a¡­ calling card, a report on the male¡¯s health, strengths, and weaknesses. Females pick up this scent and if they find it agreeable it triggers them to emit their musk. Your nds have changed and now you emit this male musk. It is VERY agreeable.¡±


    ¡°Well that¡¯s a good thing because I could never get a date for Friday nights,¡± he grumbled.


    She understood that he was being sarcastic, not her favorite kind of humor. She saw him give himself a shake and a determined look passed over his face. She watched him with pride as he forced himself to adjust to this new state of being.


    ¡°OK, I can roll with this punch. Like she said, I¡¯m healthy so it¡¯s just a cosmetic change¡­ mostly. I can deal with this. So I look a little different and I assume I smell a little different. It¡¯s not offensive?¡± he asked quickly.


    Karrel grinned and shook her head vigorously.


    ¡°Right. Altarians like it at least. Well¡­ I can get used to these things. Are there sprays or perfumes one can wear to nullify the musk?¡± he asked.


    Sheughed delightfully thinking he was kidding then went wide eyed when she realized he was serious. ¡°Why would you want to suppress your wonderful scent?¡± she gasped, reaching out absent mindedly to stroke one of his horns with a finger.


    ¡°You know, so I could actually get some work done in the office?¡± he groaned watching her fondle his horn.


    He jolted as he suddenly remembered his promise to the Earth Council members. ¡°How long have I been in the hospital?¡±


    ¡°About a month.¡±


    ¡°I told the Earth Council I¡¯d only take a few days to recuperate!¡± he eximed.


    ¡°Not to worry. I¡¯ve been in touch with them. They will wait for you to be ready,¡± she assured him.


    ¡°Can I go back to my apartment?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I believe the doctor ns to discharge you from the hospital tomorrow morning,¡± Karrel replied.


    He sighed and leaned back looking at Karrel with a smile. ¡°I really did miss you! How was your visit with the Regency?¡±


    ¡°It was a very good visit! I hadn¡¯t been back home in years!¡± she smiled in return.


    Her words sunk in. ¡°Home? You¡¯re rted to the ruling family?¡± he croaked.


    ¡°Yes, my mother is Queen,¡± she said factually.


    ¡°Princess Karrel?¡± he croaked again.


    ¡°We don¡¯t use that honorific anymore. Only ¡®Queen¡¯ remains in use,¡± she smiled sweetly as her eyes and fingers returned to his horns.


    ¡°Karrel¡­ Karrel? KARREL!¡±


    ¡°Hmmm?¡± she hummed as she looked back at his eyes. He plucked her hands off of his horns and gently set them by her side. She gave him a sweet little pout which he ignored.


    ¡°You said there was one more thing you were going to tell me about my changes. I think I¡¯d like to hear it now. Get it all on one sitting,¡± he said, steeling himself.


    She bent down and gave him a quick peck on the lips and spun around. ¡°Tomorrow!¡± she said as she ducked out of the door. As the door closed some nurses were passing by and mmed to a halt as they caught sight of his horns. The door finally closed blocking their stares and he groaned in anticipation of his new celebrity.


    For Altarian females the horns promoted him to stud muffin status. He had no idea what the Altarian males would make of him. He hadn¡¯t spent too much time with any and the ones he had spoken with had all been self-absorbed kes.


    For humanity he was going to be the ¡®Freak with Horns¡¯. He recalled the raven haired beauty at the Gate Terminal on Earth¡­ Diana, right. Well, he could forget about calling her any time soon. She¡¯d likely run screaming.


    He looked over at the table next to the bed and saw a phone. He picked it up and dialed a number. He was going to need Leffera to pick up a change of clothes for him from his apartment for tomorrow. He¡¯d ask her to bring it by tonight.


    The next morning the doctor came by to give him the good news. Thetest test results indicated that his body had indeed stabilized. No more changes were expected. The factors that had altered his body chemistry, his very DNA, were now a part of him. They could no longer have any transformative effects on him. And wasn¡¯t he a delicious looking specimen! She was practically salivating as she delivered her news. She signed his release forms and he was free to go.

 14

    Aside from his jeans, a white t-shirt, socks and sneakers the important item of clothing Leffera brought to him the night before was his ck hoodie. The sweater¡¯s hood wasrge enough to cover his new headgear so he hoped to slip out of the hospital with some anonymity. When the lift opened to the lobby he was shocked to see a huge crowd waiting outside the front doors. He jammed the door close button and the elevator took him down one more level to the parking garage. He peeked around the door when it opened and saw Bal and Gee waiting to board. When they saw him they held the door open and gestured for him to exit.


    He stepped cautiously out in the basement lobby and they each took an arm and led him to an armoured transport.


    Only the three of them were in the back this time as the vehicle moved out.


    He looked at the two females who were sitting stiffly on the opposite bench trying to avoid looking at him. He felt really bad about what happened when they tried to get him back to Altaria.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Bal, Gee. I just wanted to tell you both how very sorry I am about how I behaved when we werest together,¡± he said gently. He saw their eyes dart to him and away.


    ¡°Apparently my body was going through some kind of transformation and it was throwing all kinds of pheromones out that caused a lot of unintended and uncontrolled behavior. I¡¯m so sorry. I hold you two in utmost respect and I believe you are consummate professional who were ced in a really bad situation. Even with that you still got the job done. Thank you.¡±


    He saw them both nod. He was getting a little over heated in his sweater. He unzipped it and as he was safe from prying eyes in the windowless vehicle he tossed the hood back and rxed back against the seat.


    Bal and Gee gasped simultaneously and stared wide eyed at his horns.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. This was the end result of the transformation. Crazy, huh?¡± he scowled then closed his eyes as he leaned his head back. He rested a while letting the gentle sway of the vehicle rock him into a calm state. After a bit he realized it was taking longer than normal to get back to his ce. He felt it banking and wondered where they were going.


    He heard a throat clear and opened his eyes. Gee and Bal were leaning forward. Gee was the one trying to get his attention. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been ordered to bring you to the Security Ministry¡¯s headquarters for a press conference. News of your¡­ transformation hit the socialworkst night when a hospital volunteer overheard some nurses talking about you. She snuck into your room and took a picture of you sleeping and posted it. Your- Your horns are much more impressive in person. The photo did them no justice at all,¡± Gee said nervously.


    Jack was mortified! Someone took a photo of him sleeping and posted it online? Suddenly he felt very, very angry. Bal and Gee saw his expression change and looked at each other nervously. ¡°This¡­ person was arrested?¡± he growled deeply.


    They nodded wide eyed.


    ¡°I would like to¡­ speak to her,¡± Jack stated, his voice dropping another octave.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a good idea,¡± Gee said and he looked at her barely holding his rage in check.


    The vehicle swooped down tond in the guarded lot behind the building. The rear door opened and Gee was first out. Jack was right at her back as she let the way into the building with Bal scrambling to keep up.


    He hadn¡¯t bothered pulling his hood back up so as they walked through the halls of the building the office workers stopped to stare at the imposing, angry man with the gorgeous horns. Gee brought him to Hellna¡¯s office. Her secretary got up immediately and fumbled with the door knobs as she couldn¡¯t tear her eyes from Jack. Once the door was open Gee and Jack walked in and Bal waited outside.


    Hellna looked up and her eyes widened but she smiled. ¡°That will be all Gee. Thank you.¡± She stood and walked around her desk to shake Jack¡¯s hand as he had shaken hers. This gentle civil behavior calmed some of Jack¡¯s ire. He took the chair she offered him. ¡°Would you care for a beverage?¡± she asked calmly.


    ¡°Yes, water please.¡± He was beginning to feel a little better.


    She turned to the door where her secretary stood transfixed. ¡°Steffa, a bottle of water for Mr. Danner if you will.¡± At the sound of her name the secretary spun and rushed to get the bottle from the little fridge. She rushed back into the office to give the bottle to Jack but Hellna intercepted and gestured for Steffa to leave and close the door.


    Hellna handed the water to Jack and took the seat next to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry for the deeply personal invasion you have endured. The culprit has been detained and will stand trial. We will be seeking the maximum punishment for her actions. I¡¯m afraid the image has also made its way into Earth¡¯s socialwork as well. We are being contacted by the Earth Council demanding to speak with you. The best way to deal with this is through a press conference where you can present yourself and state your request for privacy for all to hear. There must be respect for your personal space. We are a civilized race. Some need to be reminded of this fact.¡±


    Jack took a long drink of the cool water. Then he took several deep cleansing breaths. ¡°Yes, I suppose that would be the best solution to this situation. When can we do this?¡± he sighed.


    ¡°The press is waiting for you downstairs in the main conference room. Every majorwork is there so everyone should be notified of your wishes in one broadcast. This will also be broadcast on Earth. I¡¯m sorry if they don¡¯t take the news as appreciatively as the Altarians will.¡±


    Jack just hung his head and nodded.


    He caught Hellna¡¯s eyes swinging up to his horns.


    ¡°Would you like to touch them?¡± he asked with resignation.


    ¡°No! Uh, no, I wouldn¡¯t want to offend you.¡± she stuttered, her eyes locked onto them.


    ¡°It¡¯s OK. Go ahead,¡± he said leaning his head down for her. He realized that while the horns were heavy, his neck, shoulder, back and chest muscles had bulked up topensate for their weight so the difference was negligible. He wondered how the extra mass was going to affect his running.


    He felt her gentle touch as she ran the fingers of one hand over the ridges.


    ¡°They¡¯re lovely!¡± she said with wonder in her voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t understand the attraction. Humans don¡¯t have horns. We¡¯ve never had them. It¡¯s not part of our cultural bias for beauty,¡± he said, gently pulling his head back. He recalled the evening before when Leffera brought him his clothes and the hoodie. She had been stunned to see his new headgear and had to be gently pushed from the room after visiting hours were over. If she¡¯d stayed he was sure she would have been in his bed. He¡¯d scented her intense interest and it took everything in him to resist the urge to grab her and fuck her senseless again. His drive was almost out of control.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Hellna asked, havingposed herself again.


    ¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be I suppose.¡± he sighed.


    They stood and Hellna led them out of her office. Now that Jack had calmed he pulled his hoodie over his head to disguise himself on the walk there.


    Bal and Gee fell into position with Bal leading and Gee taking up the rear.

 15

    They descended a set of stairs and walked down a long hall to a doorway guarded by two more ebony Altarian females. Now he understood the coloring was natural, just the case of that monochromatism gene. He wondered if he¡¯d ever meet a pure white Altarian. He wondered what her eyes would look like beingpletely white aside from the pupil.


    The new guards gave him only the briefest look as they read the bodynguage from Bal and Gee. Hellna nodded and the doors were opened. Hellna walked in and Jack followed two steps behind. They climbed three steps and sat side by side at a table. Jack looked out at over three hundred faces and at least half that number of cameras pointing his way.


    Hellna held her hand up and the room went silent. She looked around.


    ¡°Last night, Jack Danner, our Trade Representative with Earth and our Altarian Ambassador had his personal privacy vited in a most distasteful and repulsive manner. The culprit was arrested and is in custody. We will be seeking the maximum penalty for her abhorrent actions.¡± She paused to let the press absorb this fact. The Security Ministry wasn¡¯t fucking around.


    ¡°Ambassador Danner has undergone an unexpected and surprising physical transformation. How it happened is still being investigated but it seems like a series of exceptional conditions over an extended period of time, a rare Altarian virus, Mr. Danner¡¯s unique genes and his even more unique reaction to the aforementioned conditions are the likely cause. The transformation has stabilized and the chance of further changes is estimated to be extremely unlikely. He has achieve a stable and final state.¡± She turned to look at Jack who sighed and looked down at the table. Heposed himself then pushed back the hood with both hands. The collective gasp was thunderous and made Jack nervous. He decided to make a statement while he had their shocked silence. As this was going to be seen on Earth as well he needed to say his piece.


    ¡°What you are seeing are horns. They are real and I¡¯m told they are permanent. They are fully integrated and are required to maintain the structural integrity of my cranium. I don¡¯t know why this happened but it did and this is the new me. I will just have to get used to it.¡± He looked out at the cameras with a determined expression.


    ¡°On the matter of my picture being taken in the hospital room as I slept, I¡¯m more than a little horrified and offended by that invasion of my privacy. I don¡¯t hold the hospital responsible for it. They have been wonderful to me during this very trying time and helped me get through it.¡±


    He paused and took a sip of water from a ss on the table. Voices started to call out questions but he held up his hand as he¡¯d seen Hellna do and the room went silent once more. He smiled at the civil group sitting before him. ¡°What you did just then. That is why I loved the Altarian people. Your gentle and kind nature. Your civility, social awareness, excellent manners, and inner beauty. This is why the invasion at the hospital was so shocking. It exposed weakness in the civilized behavior of a people I¡¯vee to love and respect. It also hurt me deeply and damaged my trust. I will answer questions but I ask that outside of the environment of this press conference my privacy should be respected. As you deserve to have your privacy protected so do I.¡±


    Hellna leaned forward. ¡°I will select the reporters to ask their question. Raise your hands if you have a question for Mr. Danner.¡± Immediately the room filled with raised hands. Hellna looked at the shocked and resigned expression on Jack¡¯s face. He nodded to her. It was going to be a long afternoon.


    Gee and Bal escorted Jack home. The question period had been exhausting but Hellna felt it had been a great sess. He¡¯d slept in the transport on the way home from the conference so he was a little groggy. Gee and Bal brought him right to the door of his apartment so he let them touch his horns as he owed them at least that much. Once they¡¯d satisfied their curiosity they nodded to him and left. He went inside and saw he had a message so he asked for a yback.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Karrel¡¯s beautiful face filled the screen and he smiled. ¡°Hello Jack! We watched the broadcast of the press conference. You were most eloquent and the camera caught the exquisite surfaces of your horns far better than that amateurst night. I promised you an answer to your question yesterday so I hope you don¡¯t mind having visitors as we will be over at 10PM. This should let you rest a little. See you then.¡±


    Jack groggily looked at the clock and realized he had about three hours so he went into his bedroom, set his rm, and fell face first onto the bed. He was asleep before he stopped bouncing.


    His dreams were of Karrel and they were highly erotic. He woke with her scent in his nostrils. He smiled and stretched luxuriously on the bed. He tugged his clothes off and stretched again. His cock was hard as iron and tingling madly. He scented the air and picked up Karrel¡¯s scent again. The room was filled with it. He got out of bed and walked quietly out of his bedroom following his nose. She was in the dining room standing next to the table with her back to him. She looked good. Really good!


    He prowled closer on silent footsteps and saw her scenting the air as he got closer. He began to growl quietly deep in his chest as he took in her sleek chocte brown legs with the delightful white fur of her inner thighs. Her hips, did they look a little curvier? Mmmm, she¡¯d added just a little weight and it looked good on her! Good enough to eat!


    Karrel froze when she heard his growls and he saw her trembling. He smiled. He knew she loved when he ¡®hunted¡¯ her. He was feeling exceptionally warm and wondered if this meant he was releasing his musk. He picked up her excited musk and it was sweeter than before. Sweeter but also a little different. More earthy but definitely hot. She was very excited! His erection throbbed almost painfully.


    Jack stood directly behind Karrel and moved his jaw to her neck and nibbled as he growled. He could tell she was struggling to remain silent, quelling the instinctive need to bleat.


    He reached up and undid the sp on her gown and roughly pulled it off. He noticed it was very fine. Instead of just tossing it aside he ced it over the back of a chair.


    Now Karrel¡¯s ass was exposed and looked delicious. He wanted to eat it but first he¡¯d prime her with some attention to her neck. He reached around quickly and grabbed the top two rows of breasts as he fastened his jaws on her neck with another sexy growl. Fuck! Her tits were a little bigger too! Her extra weight went to all of his favorite ces!


    Now she bleated and LOUDLY, thrashing in his tight grip. His cock was wedged between her butt cheeks and she bleated again. He squeezed her helpless body against his chest and roughly ran his cock up and down between her cheeks as he ran the t of his tongue against her neck. She shuddered and gushed cum down her thighs. She was more excited than he thought! Excellent! Time to taste her.

 16

    Jack pushed Karrel forward over the table until her ass was hanging over the edge. He grabbed her ass cheeks in his hands then spread them open and saw the glistening opening dripping from herst orgasm. Jack ran the t of his tongue across her wet lips, dipping deeply inside then circling her tight rosebud. She was delicious!


    Karrel thrashed and bleated again as she clung to the far edge of the table. Again and again heshed her with his tongue then fucked her with it until she began to spray her excitement in a second colossal orgasm. It must have been a long time for her as well for her to be this excited! He drank her liquids andpped as she gushed.


    Before she had a chance to recover he stood up and lined up his cock with her opening and slid deep into her hot, wet depths.


    Fuck she was so tight! She was pushing back against his thrusts and that increased his excitement exponentially. Absence does make the heart grow fonder as he was surprised by her aggressiveness. He grinned as he pulled out and mmed deep inside once again. With the increased wetness sliding his cock into her was bing easier so he picked up the pace.


    She was crooning loudly as he pounded into her, pping his pelvis into her ass again and again. He was getting close to his orgasm and felt his cock swelling. She moaned in delight with the sensation of being so full.


    Jack picked up the pace again and rubbed his slick thumb across her asshole. She bleated and her legs kicked out ineffectively as he pinned her to the table.


    Fuck! He was really going to cum big as he hadn¡¯t had sex in a long time. Well, Karrel liked a big load so she should LOVE this one!


    He began mming his cock roughly into her as she sprayed another orgasm over him. His dam burst and stream after stream of hot cum gushed into her wet channel. He threw his head back and felt his mind whiting out as it was one of the most incredible org-


    ¡°MOTHER!¡± Karrel screamed from his open front door as Leffera stood gaping behind her.


    Jack felt thest ebbs of his orgasm firing deep into the woman¡­ who was not Karrel. He tilted his head to the right to look over at the females standing in the doorway. He was unable toprehend what he was seeing.


    He looked back at the woman on the table. She couldn¡¯t speak she was breathing so hard. He felt her mping down on his buried cock, squeezing out thest streams of cum. She turned her head and smiled dreamily back at him and trembled through an aftershock. Her pink tongue ran across her ck lips and she gasped. She looked a lot like Karrel but now that he could see her face he saw the differences. She was definitely older but still absolutely gorgeous!


    Jack stepped back from the table pulling his softening cock from her tight grip. He tugged out a chair and dropped himself onto it. The woman pushed herself upright and turned to face him. Her breasts wererger and her stiff nipples were pierced like Karrel¡¯s but age had added additional curves which just added to her sensuality. She had the sexiest smile on her face as she looked into his eyes. His gging cock immediately started to rise again and her eyes dipped down to see his response to her. That sexy smile broadened into one of delight.


    Before he could react further she stepped forward and straddled him on the chair sinking down over his hardening cock. She was right on target and he felt her wetness sliding down over and around his erection. She sighed and leaned in for a kiss.


    Her lips were sensual and her tongue darted in to stroke across his. As her sweet musk filled his senses once more he thrust his tongue deep into her mouth and took his kiss. She squeaked into his mouth as he gripped her ass and pulled her down hard.


    Her hands went up to his horns and took a grip on them. For some reason this increased Jack¡¯s aggression and he began to m her hips down as he thrust up into her, reaching deeper than he had before. She threw back her head and crooned her bliss. Her breasts were in his face so he sucked on her nipples, gently tugging them with his teeth. The crooning went up and off the scale as she reached a quick orgasm and shook in his grip. His took him by surprise and he grunted as shot after shot fired up into her gushing orifice. He rested his head between her breasts as he panted and listened to her gasping for breath.


    ¡°Mother! Get off of Jack! Now!¡± Karrel hissed from nearby.


    The words slowly sunk into Jack¡¯s brain. Karrel had been gone for several months to visit the Regency. The Regency was her home. She was a princess, daughter to¡­ THE QUEEN!¡±


    He pulled his head back and saw a most euphoric smile on the older female¡¯s face.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Hello Jack. I¡¯m Elissa, Karrel¡¯s mother,¡± she panted out.


    ¡°So pleased¡­ to meet you¡­ your majesty,¡± he breathed back between gasps. She chuckled.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ from behind¡­ I mistook you for¡­ your daughter,¡± he continued.


    ¡°A fortunate mistake,¡± she smiled. ¡°You are¡­ quite skilled. I haven¡¯t felt this wonderful in a very long time. If ever.¡± He felt her squeezing his shrinking cock and willed himself to ignore it.


    Jack looked over to Karrel whose face was flushed and wore a conflicted expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Karrel. I really thought it was you,¡± he blushed. Elissa stood up and put a hand to herself to keep from dripping. She scooped up her gown and walked carefully over to the guest washroom to tidy up.


    Karrel looked down at Jack¡¯s spent cock and she dashed into the kitchen to grab some towels for him to clean himself with. She dropped them in hisp and he did the best he could. She used a wet cloth to wipe her mother¡¯s fluids from his face.

 17

    ¡°You can make it up to meter,¡± she grumbled, her expression swinging between cross and lustful. She left a clean towel in hisp to cover up the distraction.


    Jack¡¯s eyes swung over to Leffera and saw the bundle in her arms. He blinked. Since when did Leffera have a child?


    Elissa walked back into the room. She was dressed again and her face absolutely glowed with happiness. ¡°Let me hold my grandson!¡± she smiled, taking the bundle from Leffera.


    ¡°Grandson?¡± Jack thought. ¡°Did Karrel have siblings?¡±


    ¡°Come meet your father, little one,¡± Elissa crooned to the baby as she walked towards Jack.


    His eyes went wide with shock and his jaw dropped. Elissa looked at him with surprise then looked at her daughter. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell him? You said you were going to tell him when you went to the hospital yesterday.¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be! Humans and Altarians aren¡¯t gicallypatible!¡± he blurted. He looked at Karrel. ¡°You were away for months!¡±


    ¡°Yes, after I discovered I was pregnant with your child. I went home to be with my family and the royal physician. This has never happened before. My pregnancy had to be carefully watched and inplete secrecy. Once the baby came to term and was found to bepletely healthy I was able toe back. This was the other gic change you underwent which I was going to mention yesterday. You arepatible with Altarians. I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know if you are stillpatible with Humans though,¡± she said with a sad expression.


    The sweetness! The doctor said it was a sign of peak ovtion. His head jerked to look at the Queen and his jaw dropped again. She smiled sweetly back at him.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to have your baby too!¡± she said blissfully.


    ¡°MOTHER!¡± Karrel yelled. Her face showed she¡¯d just realized her mother had nned this interlude with Jack, including sending her to see Leffera with the baby while she waited in Jack¡¯s apartment.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but when I held this darling baby in my arms the first time I knew I had to have another child. With Jack! I immediately stopped taking my contraceptives,¡± she said fiercely.


    The baby became restless from all the loud voices.


    ¡°He¡¯s healthy? Does he look like an Altarian or a Human?¡± Jack whispered, frightened. He¡¯d fathered a child! A cross species one at that! What had he done to the poor baby? What kind of life would it have?


    Elissa set the bundle down on hisp and opened the nket. The baby was so much smaller than a human baby but considering the size of Altarian mothers he thought that made sense. He saw its chocte brown fur (like his mother) and Altarian features (beautiful and perfect like his mother). Absolutely perfect features. Their eyes, nose, lips, ears, fur, two finger-two thumb hands, and cloven feet. There were no human features at all. He sighed in relief! The child would fit into Altarian society perfectly. Then he looked closer. He saw the tiniest little bumps on its forehead. He looked at Karrel. ¡°Horns?¡± he whispered.


    She beamed back at him. ¡°He¡¯s perfect!¡±


    He smiled back at her. ¡°He is,¡± he whispered in awe. Jack redid the bundling as the baby was beginning to get cold. Then he lifted him up to his face and gently rubbed his face against his son¡¯s. He kissed his forehead. The baby cooed and they all chuckled.


    ¡°I want a baby too,¡± Leffera said quietly from the side.


    Jack looked over at the young female and held out his arm. She immediately tucked herself up against his body. Jack scented her and took in the spicy heat. So it wasn¡¯t her time or she was on contraceptives. He looked at Karrel whose smile told him everything he needed to know.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted a big family!¡± he grinned.


    Jack Danner flopped back on the pillows of his sleep tform as he tried to catch his breath. He felt his mind returning to his body and he was still tingling. As he tried to recuperate he threw his arm over his eyes to hide the wincing from his oversensitivity as Leffera ¡®cleaned¡¯ him after theirtest romp. This was a new post-sex behavior Leffera had recently adopted. She was rather insistent and Jack decided he could handle a few jolts with the wonderful sensations her prehensile tongue gave him.


    While the more xenophobic members of Earth might find what he¡¯d just spent the better part of an hour doing with the alien female highly offensive, Jack found Altarians to be one of the most beautiful races to inhabit the known universe. They were certainly one of the most sexually adventurous having no real issues with cross species attraction. Cultured, inquisitive, gentle, friendly, and optimistic were also excellent terms to describe them.


    Physically, they weren¡¯t imposing like the hulking armor skinned Grellians (dull racists) or the tall ck robed and hooded Allsa Komanae (menacing bastards). Altarians were generally slim and petite in stature, adult females ranged in height between 4¡ä 10¡å and 5¡ä 8¡å at their tallest. Adult males were typically at the lower end of that scale. Their bodies were covered with a felt like fur which ranged in color from blond to chocte brown. They resembled Satyrs of ancient Greek mythology with cloven hooved feet and hands with two strong fingers and opposable thumbs on both sides. Their heads were humanoid but their eyes were twice asrge as a human¡¯s, had diagonal pupils, and the lids had longshes.


    Jack had a fondness for their ears which were long, pointed, expressively mobile, and typically projected horizontally. They had slim noses, wide, ck lipped mouths with amazingly dexterous tongues like Leffera¡¯s which was doing amazing things to him at the moment.


    There was a definite sweetness to her musk which Jack now understood to mean she was fertile. That was something new he¡¯d learned about Altarian females. When the hot spicy musk turned sweet, they were ready to make little Altarians. As most females took contraceptives Jack hadn¡¯t been exposed to this second ¡®vor¡¯ of the musk until Karrel, the Altarian Trade Commissioner he worked with, had sex with him several months before. The oue of that liaison was a son, the first ever between a Human and an Altarian.


    Technically that shouldn¡¯t have been possible. Humans and Altarians were not gicallypatible. End of story. Complete stop.


    However, there had been extenuating circumstances involving extended exposure to female musk over time, ingesting certain hormoneden fluids from fertile females, a rare and normally innocuous Altarian virus, and Jack¡¯s unique gic reaction to all of the above. Jack¡¯s gics had been altered andpatibility for fertilization was just one of the ¡®gifts¡¯ he¡¯d received.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Karrel had exined to him that she¡¯d stopped taking her contraceptives on her doctor¡¯s orders due to some routine medical tests she was having done. She¡¯d been told not to have unprotected sex with Altarian males until she returned to using the contraceptives. She had no concern with having sex with Jack because, well, Humans weren¡¯tpatible. When she¡¯d discovered she was pregnant, which for Altarians is only moments after conceiving, she made immediate travel ns to go home and be under the care of the royal physician.


    That was the other little detail Karrel had kept from Jack. She was the daughter of Queen Elissa, head of the royal family which ruled over the entire Altarian Empire. Surprise!


    Jack hadn¡¯t seen Karrel for the two month gestation period and she only returned after the birth of their healthy andpletely Altarian child. The only gic contribution Jack seemed to be responsible for was a resurgence of an ancient and normally dormant gene. Their son was born with the tiny beginnings of horns on his forehead.


    Karrel had agreed to let him name their son and he had chosen ¡®Alex¡¯ after histe father. Karrel found the name to be very suitable as it didn¡¯t match the sound of any existing Altarian words and felt unique, which they both agreed their son was. When she discovered that Alex was short for Alexander she was overjoyed by this ¡®hidden expansion¡¯.


    Jack was drawn back to the present as Leffera had finished her cleaning and had begun kissing him down there in the hopes of inspiring a third tumble in the sheets. Jack pulled her up onto his chest and she gave him a sweet moan of disappointment. She immediately looked up at him impishly and reached up to run her hands over the second gic ¡®gift¡¯ he¡¯d received.

 18

    Large ck horns protruded from his forehead and curled ten inches back over his head. They were now three inches wide at their base and arced up to sharp points. Initially they¡¯d been ck with wide white streaks but they¡¯d grown an additional two inches since their initial growth and the white lines had thinned into fine veins. His Altarian doctors insisted that their growth had finally stopped.


    The horns were from dormant Altarian genes. Modern day Altarian males had no horns but at one time in the distant past they did. When his body fully integrated with the gic changes the virus had triggered, the dormant gene activated and he¡¯d grown his set over the course of a month while he remained unconscious. Altarian females found them to be very attractive. He was lucky that the gene also triggered growth in the muscles and underlying support structures needed to carry the heavy horns. His neck, shoulder, back and chest muscles had all bulked up to carry this extra mass. The doctors informed him that in fact his entire skeleton had altered to support the extra load. He didn¡¯t really feel the extra weight of the horns but the inertia was another matter. Quick movements of his head made their presence known.


    Lying in bed with a frisky Altarian female on his chest presented no physical strain for him to look into her happy eyes. Leffera had gone off her contraceptives the moment Jack agreed to have a child with her. That had been the night Karrel¡¯s mother Queen Elissa, who was a dead ringer for her daughter, tricked him into impregnating her. Two months had passed since that night. That time was necessary for a safe waiting period for her system to clear of the contraceptive and for her first fertility cycle to fully engage.


    Leffera had dominated his nightly schedule for the past week as they worked on giving her a child. Based on Altarian female norms their efforts of three times a night and at least twice each morning was overkill for conceiving a child but they were on day six with no sess. By day three Jack had seriously begun to worry but Leffera showed no such anxiety. This morning she was as rxed as he¡¯d ever seen her. He was starting to suspect he¡¯d been bamboozled.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time to see the doctor,¡± Jack said, a look of concern on his face.


    Leffera stretchednguorously across Jack¡¯s body and smiled in satisfaction. ¡°No, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get it done tonight.¡±


    ¡°Actually I¡¯ve booked an appointment with Karrel¡¯s doctor for first thing this morning. I don¡¯t want your health to be at risk. We have to take every step to ensure you are healthy,¡± Jack insisted.


    Now, Leffera¡¯s eye¡¯s showed some concern. ¡°This morning?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and Karrel insisted on joining us as she¡¯s also worried that it¡¯s taking this long. You¡¯ve shown no other signs of ill health so she said we shouldn¡¯t wait,¡± Jack said.


    Leffera pushed herself up on her elbows and looked at Jack in rm. ¡°Karrel will be there?¡±


    ¡°Yes and she mentioned it to her mother and you know how emotional she¡¯s be with her own imminent delivery. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she was there too!¡± he said with wide eyes.


    Leffera bleated in dismay. ¡°The Queen? You have to call it off! Call the doctor and cancel!¡±


    ¡°What!?! I can¡¯t do that! Your health is far too important to me! And to Karrel and Queen Elissa as well it seems!¡±


    Leffera bleated again.


    She began to beat gently on his chest. ¡°You have to call them and cancel! I, uh, I just felt it happen! I¡¯m pregnant! Thatst time must have done it!¡± she eximed.


    Jack smiled knowingly and looked her in the eye as she continued to gasp. Then she went still. ¡°You tricked me!¡±


    ¡°You tricked me first,¡± Jack said. He sat up suddenly and dumped her off onto the bed and she bleated with surprise. He got off the tform and made his way to the shower. This time he closed and locked the door behind him.


    The door beeped indicating she was trying to enter. ¡°Jack?¡± he heard through the door.


    He stepped into the shower and got the water running.


    ¡°Jack?¡±


    He took his time cleaning himself. He was especially careful washing his hair as he¡¯d scratched his arms pretty badly on the points of his horns on a couple of asions from being a little careless. The buggers were sharp!This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Once he¡¯d stepped out and dried himself off he opened the door and saw Leffera kneeling on the bedroom floor facing the door. She had a remorseful look on her beautiful face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you.¡±


    ¡°When did you know?¡± he asked sternly.


    ¡°The second night,¡± she mumbled.


    Jack stood in front of her with a disappointed look on his face.


    ¡°Do you hate me?¡± she squeaked.


    He sighed and pulled her to her hooves. ¡°No of course I don¡¯t hate you. I¡¯m really upset you lied to me though. That hurts! You¡¯ve damaged my trust in you. Go home and get ready for work. I¡¯ll see you at the office.¡±


    Leffera slipped her gown on and left his apartment with a final sad look over her shoulder.


    Jack didn¡¯t have time to go for a run as Leffera had used up his time exercising her way as she¡¯d done all week. He was really jonesing for a run. He sighed and just got dressed for work. While all Altarians wore gossamer robes Jack maintained his Earth style of dress shirts (no ties!), cks, and dress shoes. Altaria was a very civilized and he lived in a very temperate climate so ssy butfortable was the way to go for his work.


    The exception to that dress code had been during his first week back after his transformation. He¡¯d returned to the office to attend the Trade meetings wearing his hoodie. The applicants from Earth who¡¯d scheduled appointments to present their products and services were distracted by his barely visible horns. These meetings hadn¡¯t been as effective as they should have been. He had his staff restart the schedule so any of the previous week¡¯s applicants who¡¯d been rejected coulde back for a second try the following week if they wished. They also sent his apologies to everyone on the schedule for the dy. That weekend he came to grips with the fact that the horns weren¡¯t going away. He began the second week with his head fully uncovered. By being direct and getting the curiosity factor out of the way he was able to get the presenters back on track after just a short period of gawking. He still maintained his tight quality control standards and only beneficial products and services were epted. But he no longer pretended that the decisions came from anyone other than himself. He discovered that while the rejected applicants were still upset, they were lessfortable with confronting someone with dangerous looking horns no matter how gracious and polite they behaved. There really weren¡¯t too many ufortable scenes.

 19

    His hair had be an issue. He still wasn¡¯t keen on long hair but his staff in both the Trade Commission office and the Embassy insisted he keep it long. His sandy blond hair was only slightly wavy and it now reached the middle of his shoulder des. Every morning one of his staff would braid his freshly washed hair into a single braid down his back, tied with a ribbon. Every morning the ¡®honor¡¯ would go to a different staff member and, like the attendance for his hosted movie nights at his apartment, he had no idea how they chose who got to do it.


    That took care of most of his hair but he still had to get his bangs trimmed. When he could take it no more the braider got the ¡®sad duty¡¯ of trimming the excess from his bangs and over his ears. Where the clippings went he had no idea. Frankly, he found that a little creepy but he couldn¡¯t reallyin.


    He headed off to the Embassy as he had duties there first thing today and would spend the afternoon in the Trade Commission offices.


    Walking into the lovely space they had in the Embassy he saw faces turn in his direction with bright smiles. He smiled back and greeted his staff with a formal bow. That boosted the smiles and more than a few began to fidget. He was told after his change that his body now emitted a musk that Altarian females read as a kind of mating suitability report card. Strengths, weaknesses, and health were all present in that chemical mix and while he couldn¡¯t smell it personally Karrel told him it presented him as a VERY agreeable mate. However, it didn¡¯t help that he distracted his staff more than he did before.


    He made his way over to his personal assistant, Denee. She tracked his Ambassador duty schedule for him.


    ¡°Good morning, Denee. You¡¯re looking particrly happy this morning! Did you get a visit from that suitor again?¡± he asked with a smile.


    The light tan furred female grinned up at Jack from her workstation. ¡°Lunnae dropped byst night and spent the evening with me. He was so energetic at first but he couldn¡¯t perform as often or as forcefully as you. Still it was a nice enough night.¡±


    Jack¡¯s experience with most Altarian males proved them to be self-absorbed fools but some of them made an effort to prove their worth beyond being sperm donors. He was getting the impression that Lunnae might be one of those. He actually had a job, unheard of amongst most males. He was the head of somemittee or something. Jack had to admit he hadn¡¯t caught all the details.


    Denee was undressing him with her eyes again. He sighed. It was such a role reversal living and working in a female dominated culture. If they weren¡¯t so polite and cultured about appreciating his male attributes he might have taken offence. Besides he¡¯d been the one to start the conversation about her suitor.


    Lunnae wouldn¡¯t be marrying Denee. Altarians didn¡¯t form long term rtionships as the ratio of females to males was 10 to 1. If he convinced her of his suitability she might agree to mate with him to produce a child. Male children were raised by the males in male run schools and in Jack¡¯s opinion learned to bezy kes. Female children went to female run schools and became skilled and valuable members of society.


    Jack and Karrel had already had a few discussions about their son¡¯s education. It wouldn¡¯t be time to send him to school for a couple of years apparently but when it happened Jack insisted he would be going to a female run school. No son of his would fail to grasp the importance of a good day¡¯s work and contributing to the health, safety, prosperity, and happiness of those around him and himself. Karrel wasing around to his way of thinking but it was going to shake up Altarian society when it happened.


    ¡°You didn¡¯tpare Lunnae¡¯s performance to mine did you?¡± he said, suddenly worried she had been less than discrete. Denee wasn¡¯t known for holding her tongue when it came to her opinions.


    ¡°Well, I might have told him that he needed to work on his stamina¡­ because you¡¯dsted three times longer than him,¡± she winced.


    And that expression told him how her opinion had been received.


    ¡°So Lunnae won¡¯t be returning to ask you to mate,¡± he sighed.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Denee¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°No, but if you know of anyone who might be interested in taking is ce¡­¡±


    Jack¡¯s eyes snapped to Denee¡¯s face. He hadn¡¯t told anyone he was able to make Altarian¡¯s pregnant. The Queen promised to keep silent at least until she¡¯d given birth and Karrel hadn¡¯t informed anyone she¡¯d had a child outside of Leffera. That left Leffera as a possible leak, if that¡¯s what Denee was hinting at.


    ¡°Taking his ce?¡± he said carefully.


    ¡°Between my legs!¡± she grinned and licked her lips.


    Jack breathed a sigh of relief. She was just horny. He grinned and shook his finger at her for her boldness. That got him a wistful sigh from the female.


    ¡°Do I have actual work scheduled for me this morning?¡± he asked.


    She smiled and pulled up his calendar.


    ¡°In ten minutes you will be meeting with a delegation from Phem Kalos. They are here for the annual renewal of the non-aggression treaty. The initial meeting is always with the Ambassador to announce who from their group will be attending the banquet two days from today in the evening, you¡¯ll be attending that, and listing other issues that might be brought up at the formal meeting which is also two days from today. This gives you time to prepare answers for the issues raised.¡±


    ¡°OK, so do I call them the Phem Kalosians?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Only if you wish to immediately end the treaty and send us into another generation of war. They are the Phem Kalos. That is the singr and plural term. For this meeting you just listen primarily. Have you met the Phem Kalos before?¡± Denee asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Furred like us but generally a little taller and stronger. Close to your size. Carnivores.¡± She shuddered at this. ¡°Fierce warriors but headstrong and prone to use force where intelligence is better suited. Patriarchal society and you never see their females as they are confined to theirs. This is the first time they will be meeting a male Altarian Ambassador. Should be interesting.¡±


    ¡°This banquet, it isn¡¯t formal dress is it?¡± he asked carefully.


    ¡°Of course it is!¡±


    ¡°Damn. I¡¯m going to need to buy a tuxedo. That means a quick trip to Earth because there are NO Human shaped tuxedo shops on Altaria and I¡¯m not wearing an Altarian gown. I don¡¯t have the fur for it,¡± he growled as he saw Denee begin to fantasize about him in one of the translucent, gossamer gowns. ¡°I will have to do that this afternoon once I see myst Trade applicant. Who is braiding my hair this morning?¡±


    ¡°For the Phem Kalos you should leave your hair unbraided. Long manes are symbols of power to them. Yours is longer than they can grow so you¡¯ll be in a power position with them. Greeting room one. Enjoy.¡±


    Greeting room one was his favorite. It opened on a garden and the scent of the flowers was so refreshing. It also covered any personal odors the beings he met with had. He wondered if the Phem Kalos had a scent that needed covering.


    At the exact time for the meeting he opened the door and stepped into the room. Three broad shouldered beings turned to face him. They wore ceremonial armor made of some hardened and polished leather. Mostly just shoulder tes and red capes. They were indeed furred. It was longer than the felt like fur of the Altarians, deep brown and striped with ck. Each of the three males facing him had distinct patterns of the ck striping. Wide, pointed dish-like ears twitched and pointed at him. He got the distinct impression that the one in the center was younger than the other two. Denee was right as well. They seemed just a little bit intimidated by his long hair. Jack thought that was hrious but kept this from his face.


    ¡°Greetings. I¡¯m Jack Danner, the Altarian Ambassador.¡±

 20

    The young one in the center looked to hispanions and made a chuffing sound like he was clearing his throat. ¡°What is it?¡± it said to itspanion who made some gesture that Jack couldn¡¯t read. It turned back to Jack.


    ¡°Altarian Ambassador? You aren¡¯t even Altarian!¡± the brash one barked.


    ¡°And yet they were so impressed with me that they made me their ambassador. I¡¯m originally from Earth but the horns were an unintentional gift from the Altarians.¡±


    Eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯re Human?!?!¡±


    ¡°And part Altarian too, it seems,¡± Jack admitted. He was d the Phem Kalos had heard of Humans. That saved him a little time in exining.


    The three seemed unsure how to proceed so Jack fell back on the instructions Denee had given him. ¡°It is my understanding that you will be informing me of the members of your group who will be attending the banquet two days from now in the evening?¡±


    The older Phem Kalos on the right took a step forward and dipped his head.


    ¡°I am FennHark De Kurk, Councillor of Long Sight. It is my privilege to speak the names of the honored. You are graced to be in the presence of FennLann De Jark, Prince Regent of Phem Kalos.¡± The young Prince nodded to Jack who returned it. ¡°Next is FennDurr De Dent, Councillor of the Fist.¡±


    Jack quickly suppressed a snort as his mindtched onto ¡®Dent Fender¡¯. He solemnly nodded to the third male who showed significant scarring under his fur. Then Jack noted the sharp retractable ws on their three fingered hands. Probably deadly in hand to handbat.


    ¡°The greatest honor to the Altarian people is the final member of our party. Princess SennLann Du Kess, cousin of the Prince Regent will also attend the Banquet.¡±


    Jack recalled Denee¡¯s words about how Phem Kalos females were not allowed to travel. He took a chance with his next words. ¡°This will be a historic banquet indeed. We are greatly honored.¡±


    The Prince Regent looked very pleased but the two Councillors stiffened and nced sharply at Jack, eyes filled with suspicion. When they saw him look back curiously they looked away quickly and tried to affect a casual air. The hairs on the back of Jack¡¯s neck prickled. He pushed onto the next item in the agenda.


    ¡°It is also my understanding I may receive a listing of additional issues you might be bringing up in the formal meeting?


    ¡°No issues at this time,¡± FennHark stated tersely.


    ¡°Excellent. Did you have any questions?¡±


    ¡°No questions at this time,¡± FennHark said.


    ¡°Alright. Well, I suppose I will see you at the Treaty Signing.¡±


    ¡°It was refreshing dealing with a male,¡± the Prince blurted and his Councillors scowled.


    ¡°Have you been responsible for attending these treaty signings for long?¡± Jack asked him, ignoring the other two.


    ¡°Fark yes! This is my tenth journey to Altaria. The same things happen every time. The Ambassador visit, the Asset Disclosure meeting, the Treaty Reading and Signing, the Banquet with endless dancing, then back to Phem Kalos. This is the first change in that pattern in ten years. I mean aside from thest minute inclusion of my cousin,¡± the youth growled. His councillors looked especially agitated when he mentioned the cousin. Jack filed that away.


    ¡°The nature of diplomacy takesfort in repeating traditions as change often brings unexpected consequences,¡± Jack said and the Councillors stared at him again. ¡°I¡¯ll try to think of something fun we can do at the Banquet. Something Earth based.¡±


    The Prince¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yes! That would be wee!¡±


    ¡°Until then?¡± Jack said. They shared nods and the two councillors hustled their ward away with quiet growls he responded to with snarls.


    Jack made his way back to the office pondering the odd behavior of the two councillors. The Prince¡¯s behavior was much easier to understand. He was bored! Young, brash and far morefortable in the presence of males, sticking him with diplomacy duties for Altaria must seem like a punishment to him.


    Denee was sitting at her workstation watching him approach with half lidded eyes. He could imagine where her thoughts were taking her.


    ¡°Hello? Denee? Altaria to Denee, time to get your mind out of the bedroom and back to your work.¡± Jack tapped her on the forehead and she jumped guiltily.


    ¡°Do I have any other Ambassador duties today?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Nothing on the schedule. What were the secondary issues the Phem Kalos will bring up at the meeting?¡± she asked preparing her notation device.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    She looked up sharply. ¡°Nothing?¡±


    ¡°They said they had no issues to bring up at this time. Is that unusual?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s never happened before. They always push for ess to our outlying territories at least. Any more unusual behavior?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Well, at the banquet we are going to have a special guest from Phem Kalos. The Prince Regent¡¯s cousin Princess SennLann Du Kess will be attending.¡±


    The office went quiet. Jack looked at their shocked faces.


    ¡°A Phem Kalos female is on Altaria?¡± Denee gasped.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see in a couple days¡¯ time,¡± Jack said wondering what all the fuss was about. Denee picked up the phone to contact someone immediately and ignored Jack. Having been dismissed he left the office and walked across the broad courtyard to the Trade Commission building. When he reached his office he received smiles from his staff there.


    Petite Me rushed up to him with a wide smile and a twinkle in her eyes. She was a honey gold Altarian who fell just an inch below baseline for standard adult height. He once mistook her for a young teen but now he realized she was an enormous ball of energy, happiness, and lustiness in apact package. She crushed herself up against him in a hug¡­ and grabbed his ass. He was used to this so he just peeled her off of his body and gave her butt a little pat to send her on her way. She blew him a kiss then suddenly stopped to look at him.


    ¡°Your hair isn¡¯t braided!¡± she squeaked.


    Joe caught the sudden attention he received from all of the staff within hearing of Me¡¯s voice.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Yes, I had a meeting with several Phem Kalos this morning and apparently having my hair loose was a tactical advantage. It seemed to be,¡± he suggested.

 21

    Me¡¯s eye went wide at the mention of his visitors. ¡°Phem Kalos! They frighten me! They eat meat!¡± she shuddered.


    ¡°Me, you know Humans are omnivorous, right? I¡¯ve eaten meat too,¡± he confessed looking her in the eye.


    Her twinkle came back. ¡°I know what meat you like to eat best!¡± she gushed.


    ¡°MELLA!¡± he yelped.


    She giggled as she ran back to him. She leaned in close to whisper. ¡°You like eating us!¡±


    Jack blushed as he looked at the others who were watching him with interest and smiles.


    ¡°Why I oughta eat you right up to teach you a lesson!¡± he growled yfully.


    Me¡¯s expression flushed with wanton lust as she leaned against him. ¡°Oh yes! Do it! Please!¡± she panted.


    His tease had backfired and a blush rushed over his face. ¡°Off you go!¡± he said as he set the female back on her hooves and gave her butt a little goose to send her squealing back to her desk. She grinned lustfully over her shoulder.


    He walked up to Leffera who was trying to look cool and professional while she trembled with worry over how he was going to react.


    He stood before her with a stern expression and saw her lips begin to tremble. He hadn¡¯t realized she was this upset. ¡°Come with me.¡± He turned and walked into his office without looking back. He knew she¡¯d be right behind him.


    He stepped in the door and gestured for her to enter. She did and he closed the door. Then he locked it.


    Leffera¡¯s eyes were wide as she watched him walk to the front of his desk and turn around.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    She approached.


    ¡°Kneel down, here.¡±


    Leffera knelt and looked up at him confused and tried to decipher his strict expression.


    ¡°Take my pants down.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Leffera smiled but his frown made her stop and quickly do as he said.


    She nced at his semi erect cock then up at his face. She unconsciously licked her lips.


    ¡°You lied to me Leffera. You broke my trust. By all that¡¯s fair you shouldn¡¯t have ess to what¡¯s in front of you for a long time. What do you think about that idea?¡±


    Tears were welling up in her lovely eyes as she looked at him beseechingly. She couldn¡¯t speak so she shook her head to indicate she didn¡¯t like the idea.


    Jack struggled to maintain his strict expression. He hated to see Leffera sad but she needed to learn that it was never a good idea to lie to him. This was as close as he could get to tough love.


    ¡°Go stand by the door.¡±


    Leffera jumped to her hooves with a final nce at his cock and ran to the door. She turned back to him.


    Jack picked up his phone and spoke quietly to someone. He hung up and a secondter there was a gentle tap on the door.


    ¡°Let her in then lock the door and return to kneel here,¡± Jack instructed.


    She opened the door and Kaluna entered. She had a rare mix of golden tan and chocte brown fur and was one of the taller females in the office. She¡¯d been his overnight guest after movie night a few weeks back and Jack had discovered her rather extreme appetite for oral sex. Namely her obsession with swallowing his cock as deep down her throat as she could. She wasn¡¯t the most skilled at it but her enthusiasm was tremendously exciting.


    When she saw Jack standing with his pants off, she rushed up to him, dropped to her knees and immediately sucked his cock into her mouth. He groaned in pleasure. Leffera knelt beside them and watched Kaluna take his hardening cock deeper and deeper into her mouth. Leffera¡¯s eyes grew wide as she realized her co-worker must be taking Jack into the back of her throat to get as much of him into her as she was.


    Kaluna began to make long deep strokes from head to root and Jack knew he wasn¡¯t going to be able tost long with such attention. He looked over at Leffera and saw the female was watching so intently she was forgetting to swallow and drool was tracking down her chin. He reached over with a tissue from his desk and tapped her chin. Leffera jolted. She realized what she was doing and took the tissue to dry her chin off. He could see she was tremendously excited as her hands slowly slid down her body.


    ¡°No touching yourself,¡± he growled. Leffera gave him a desperate look but went back to watching.


    Jack was getting really close and Kaluna¡¯s eyes were rolling back in her head as she spent longer and longer periods with his cock lodged at the back of her throat. She was trembling so Jack rubbed the muscles behind her ears and felt her rxpletely allowing his cock to slip thatst inch into her throat. Jack began to pump himself into her mouth. Kaluna moaned and quaked through her own orgasm as her fingers delved deeply into herself. Jack felt his balls tighten then he was shooting stream after stream into Kaluna¡¯s mouth with a groan. She squealed and her suction increased as she clung to his ass. Her dextrous tongue squeezed every drop from him as he eased his softening cock from her mouth.


    Leffera moaned in need but refrained from touching herself.


    Jack rxed back against the edge of his desk and smiled down at Kaluna who was rocking on her knees with her eyes closed. She had a satisfied grin on her face as she rolled her tongue around in her mouth. She finally opened her eyes to look up at Jack then over to Leffera who was looking at her desperately. Kaluna looked to Jack for permission and he just raised his eyebrows in question. She took that for permission and leaned towards Leffera who swept forward and kissed her co-worker deeply, sharing in Jack¡¯s seed. He was surprised and more than a little turned on by the disy. Kaluna pulled back with an impish smile and left Leffera moaning in need again.

 22

    Kaluna stood and smiled to Jack as she strutted back to his door. She slipped out of the door and shut it behind herself with a final heat filled look into Jack¡¯s eyes.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Jack pulled his clothes back on and checked to make sure he hadn¡¯t got them dirty. He was good. Kaluna had done an excellent job of cleaning him and catching every drop.


    ¡°Stand up,¡± he said.


    Leffera jumped up and stood before him.


    ¡°No more lies. Is that understood?¡± he growled.


    She nodded rapidly as she rubbed her thighs together.


    ¡°No touching yourself. You call me at ten and I will watch you give yourself release then. Understood!¡± Jack said sternly.


    Leffera¡¯s eyes went wide and she almost came at the idea of masturbating on camera while he watched. She¡¯d never heard of that before. It was so HOT! She squirmed and nodded.


    ¡°Out you go!¡± hemanded and she went.


    He sat behind his desk and grinned. He knew that call tonight was going to be a short one. She wouldn¡¯tst a minute. He still had to think of a way for her to make amends to the staff in the two offices who missed out on movie night for a full week. Without disclosing why.


    He looked at his schedule and saw that Denee had contacted Leffera and she had pushed his schedule to the following day so he¡¯d have time to go to Earth to get his tuxedo. She¡¯d also contacted the Security Ministry and arranged to have his escort meet him at the Gate terminal. He wondered if it was going to be Bal and Gee again.


    He did have a little time so he left his office and went down to the consultation room to see if any of the applicants were still there. He found only one. An older ck gentleman in a wrinkled suit with a selling kit at his feet. He was sitting on a chair looking like life had just given him a beating. He was holding a handkerchief in his bony fist.


    ¡°Are you alright sir?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not alright. This was myst chance. I spent everything I had to be here today and Lucifer¡¯s too busy to see anyone,¡± the man growled with a shaky voice.


    Lucifer?!? That nickname was a new one to him. It kind of shook him a little to know people thought of him that way. He knew he wasn¡¯t going to make everyone love him, but Lucifer? Really? He sighed.


    ¡°My dad used to tell me that everyone deserves a second chance. Maybe I could have mine?¡± Jack asked and old eyes finally turned to him. They widened when they saw his horns. ¡°Oh Lord. It¡¯s true!¡±


    ¡°Sir? I¡¯m not the devil. I¡¯m just a man¡­ with horns. But I¡¯m here and I have time for one applicant. Would you like to make your pitch?¡± he gestured towards the meeting room. He saw the old man gather his wits and stand. He picked up his kit and followed Jack into the room.


    Once they got inside he turned to the man and held out his hand. ¡°I¡¯m Jack Danner, Earth¡¯s Trade Representative for Altaria.¡±


    ¡°Dous Stanfield.¡± The man had an excellent grip.


    His eyes looked up then back to Jack¡¯s eyes.


    Time to address the elephant in the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m just a Human who had a one in a zillion reaction to a stupid little Altarian virus. Bonded some old Altarian genes with mine and now I have these. Could have been worse. Like I said, the chances of it happening were astronomical but lucky me for being there when all the stars aligned,¡± he smiled.


    Dous just looked away from the horns and nodded. Jack gestured to the table for him to set his kit down and begin.


    Sometimes Jack would sit behind the desk while the applicants made their presentation. But this one had gone to seemingly extreme lengths to get to Altaria to make his pitch so Jack stayed on the man¡¯s side of the desk to give him that little extra attention. He leaned back against the desk and watched the man open the disy and prepare. The sales kit was old and threadbare, held together by rubber bands and paperclips. But it did hold the small hand tools he was showing.


    Jack watched attentively as the pitch unrolled and felt his heart ache when he realized the product wasn¡¯t suitable for the Altarian¡¯s due to the anatomy of their hands. They wouldn¡¯t be able to hold the tools properly. Even if they could there really wouldn¡¯t be a market for them anyway. Then his mind made a leap as something he¡¯d seen triggered a memory of a frustration he¡¯d had since he¡¯d been on Altaria. He waited politely for the man to finish.


    Dous looked at him nervously. He hadn¡¯t been kidding when he said this was hisst chance. His family was relying on him to pull this off. They¡¯d pooled their savings into this business and the ticket to get him all the way here. Now it was up to the man with the horns to make or break him.


    ¡°That was an excellent presentation. I want you to bear with me until I¡¯m finished talking, ok?¡± Jack paused until the confused man nodded. ¡°First off the craftsmanship of your product is very high. Quality stuff! I¡¯m going to rmend this product to a market¡­ but not the Altarians. You should have researched your target market better as Altarian hands have two strong fingers and two strong opposed thumbs which would make working with these tools rather difficult and ufortable. Additionally they don¡¯t really have a need for the function these tools provide.¡± The man began to slump. ¡°It¡¯s not all bad news. There¡¯s a race of people I¡¯ve met called the Greeluan Harn who would love these but you should know they are terribly cheap and you¡¯ll need to use every ounce of your bargaining skills to get a fair price from them. My estimation is that their market might top out at 10, 000 units but I could be wrong. Like I said if you want I¡¯ll give you a letter of introduction that will get you in their door.¡± He saw the man was still deting as he realized his ess to the vast Altarian market had just passed him by.


    ¡°Now for some better news,¡± Jack smiled and the man looked hopefully at him.


    ¡°Something that Altarians don¡¯t have and there would be a market for are these!¡± Jack reached forward and plucked at the rubber bands holding the kit together.


    ¡°Rubber bands?¡± the old man mumbled.


    ¡°Yes! It¡¯s crazy but they have nothing like them here and while they seem so innocuous they¡¯re very useful as your trade case proves! If you could find a good source for quality rubber bands I¡¯ll set you up as the importer,¡± Jack said.


    The old man looked at the case and then back at Jack to see if he was trying some borate and cruel joke. Jack saw his doubt and felt it in his heart.


    ¡°I¡¯m not kidding. No one has approached me for selling them yet. It wasn¡¯t until I saw your kit that I realized what was missing. We need an importer. Do you think you could do that?¡± Jack simply said.


    ¡°Yeah, I could do that,¡± Dous said with a slow grin.


    ¡°Do you have any samples?¡± Jack asked. The old man chuckled and opened apartment in the kit full of odds and ends and pulled out a bag of rubber bands in various sizes. He handed it to Jack.


    He also handed Jack an old fashioned business card with his contact details on it. Jack smiled and tucked it in his pocket.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show these to my people and we will send you an order. Remember you need to find a source for good quality rubber bands, not those cheap ones that dry out quickly and break. I¡¯ll find out the specs for which sizes will be most popr and we will go from there, ok? If they¡¯re as popr as I expect they¡¯ll be you should be good,¡± Jack exined. He held up a small silver rod and indicated Dous should press his thumb to the round pad at the end. Jack then pressed his thumb to the pad.


    ¡°Jack Danner, Earth¡¯s Trade Representative for Altaria. Dous Stanfield, Rubber Bands,¡± Jack said towards the device. It beeped then he handed it to the man. ¡°This is proof that we have an initial contract and that should get you started. My team will contact you and you will deal with them from this point on.¡± He held out his hand to the man again.


    The old man suddenly hugged Jack and he felt him trembling. ¡°Easy now,¡± Jack gently pushed him back so he could look in the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°You still have some work ahead of you finding the supplier. Also, you should seriously show these tools to the Greeluan Harn. They will love them! Don¡¯t settle for less than $2500 a set though. Would you like the introduction letter?¡±

 23

    Dous smiled and nodded, not trusting his voice.


    ¡°OK, I¡¯ll have my office write it up and send it to your address,¡± Jack said patting his pocket where the business card was. ¡°It was nice meeting you, Mr. Stanfield!¡±


    Jack left the room and made his way back to his office. He plucked a wide blue rubber band from the bag and used it to tie his hair back. Then he tucked the bag into his pocket. His neck already felt cooler.


    He filled in Leffera about the meeting so she could take Mr. Stanfield off the appointment list and add him to the eptance list. She¡¯d also take care of the rmendation letter. Jack handed her the business card as she¡¯d enter all of his information into their system. He pulled the bag of rubber bands from his pocket and looked at it. He dumped half of the contents on her desk then put the bag back into his pocket.


    He went to his office to catch up on his paperwork. Ugh.


    ****


    When it was time to go buy a tuxedo he grabbed his hoodie from the hook behind his office door, went downstairs and grabbed a cab over to the Gate terminal. He saw Bal and Gee waiting for him but they were looking the other way. Feeling yful he decided to y a little prank on them. He reached into his pocket and pulled out two rubber bands. He snuck a little closer and hooked the two bands over two fingers, pulled back and let them fly.


    Snap! Right in the back for both of them!


    They jumped and instantly had some kind of weapon drawn and pointed at him. He raised his hands, suddenly realizing how stupid it was to even pretend attack trained and armed agents.


    They sighed and tucked the devices away. Gee looked down and picked up the rubber bands. She passed one to Bal. They were both fascinated. Gee walked over and stood close to him.


    ¡°Where did you get this weapon?¡± she asked sternly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a weapon. It¡¯s a rubber band. From Earth. Theye in all colors and sizes.¡±


    Gee forced her hands into his front pockets and found the bag of samples while he yelped at her intrusion.


    ¡°I¡¯m confiscating these weapons,¡± she said looking up at his face.


    ¡°Hey! I need those¡­ to, uh, show the Trade Commission staff so we can make an order.¡± Bal scowled at him then she and Gee walked into the terminal. He hustled after them. They made their arrangements with the customs and security agent and walked towards their Gate to Earth. Bal was still scowling at him.


    ¡°What!¡± he barked.


    ¡°You cut your hair,¡± she said disapprovingly.


    He was a little surprised that she cared. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. See?¡± He turned so she could see his hair was actually bundled in a ponytail. She¡¯d just missed it due to the angle she¡¯d been looking at him from.


    ¡°How is your hair staying like that?¡± she dropped the scowl and looked at him curiously.


    ¡°With a thing that ISN¡¯T a weapon! And no you can¡¯t have it,¡± he said to block Gee from retrieving it. She just gave him an annoyed look. Jack pulled the hoodie on and covered his head. Bal¡¯s scowl came back and he rolled his eyes. They walked through the gate. They got through the customs and security station with less fuss this time though both Bal and Gee had to carry the tracer bands as his Diplomatic status required. They still refused to wear them which was fine with him.


    Once they were in the limo he asked the map to disy options for purchasing a tuxedo. The screen showed him many options but he narrowed it down to those that offered onsite and immediate tailoring. He selected a shop in an expensive shopping district as he recalled the shop in question had an excellent reputation. Then they were on their way.


    Gee and Bal were going through the different sized rubber bands in the little bag.


    ¡°I do need that back,¡± Jack said but Gee ignored him with just a nce.


    Jack sat quietly fuming for a bit then he thought of another tack. ¡°I used to get into all kinds of mischief with rubber bands when I was younger. Much like I did with you two. I got into a lot of trouble in school and spent a lot of time in detention.¡± He peeled a little piece of paper from a business card someone had left in the limo. He folded it over a few times to make a narrow strip. The two ebony Altarians were now taking turns watching him while the other scanned the vehicles passing and following them.


    Jack held out his hand. ¡°Give me one of the rubber bands.¡±


    Gee frowned at him suspiciously then reluctantly handed him a red one.


    Jack¡¯s grin grew as he saw the band was perfect for his needs. He stretched it between his thumb and index finger. With his other hand he folded the paper strip in half and put the little V over the rubber band then pinched it closed and pulled it back aiming at the floor.


    ¡°We used this method for exchanging notes across the ssroom. The fun part was trying to make your friend make a noise when you¡¯d painfully bean him on the arm. Then he¡¯d get in trouble with the teacher and you¡¯d pretend to be doing your school work,¡± Jack chuckled at the memory. He had the attention of both agents now.


    He pulled back and fired the paper at the window expecting it to bounce back but the window was just a low energy shield meant to block the wind. The paper projectile shot through and crossed into the nextne of flying vehicles.


    Into the open window of a passing police cruiser and off the nose of the officer. The man had his window open to release the noxious smoke of an old school cigar he was illicitly smoking while on patrol. He dropped the smouldering thing into hisp and struggled to get it back as it burned the fabric of his pants and the seat.


    Back in the limo the two agents looked at Jack with wide eyes as he stared back at the wobbling police cruiser. ¡°Shit!¡± he cursed.


    ¡°Give me the weapon. It is too dangerous in your hands,¡± Gee said and Jack dropped the band onto her open palm.


    The cruiser dropped below the flow of traffic as it went on manual and they saw it swing back to catch up to them. The limo beeped as it went under the control of the cruiser and it slowly descended. It stopped in a park and the cruiser parked behind it. The engine shut down.


    Bal and Gee prepared for a fight and Jack gestured for them to stand down. ¡°This is a police officer. I need to speak with him as I think I might have hit him with that paper.¡±


    The officer stepped out of his cruiser, its door expanding to serve as a shield. He stood behind its protection with his weapon drawn.


    ¡°EXIT FROM THE VEHICLE SLOWLY WITH YOUR HANDS IN PLAIN SIGHT!¡± his amplified voice called out. One of the limo¡¯s doors opened. Bal stepped out first, followed by Jack then Gee.


    ¡°YOU IN THE MIDDLE, PUSH THE HOOD BACK, SLOWLY.¡±


    Jack lifted his hands deliberately and slid the hood back.


    ¡°Oh shit,¡± the officer¡¯s voice growled. The shield dropped and the red faced cop stomped over to the limo.N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry Officer¡­ Truman!¡± he read from the man¡¯s badge. ¡°I had no idea it would get through the window. I thought it would bounce back so I didn¡¯t even consider looking at what might be passing by!¡±


    ¡°What the FUCK did you hit me with?¡± Truman growled.


    ¡°Just a little piece of folded paper fired with a rubber band. Like kids do in school. Like I used to,¡± Jack finished weakly.


    The man¡¯s face was still an unhealthy shade of red and Jack picked up the stink of cigar on the man¡¯s uniform then he smelled something else. He looked at Gee and Bal who were both trying to get his attention. He started to turn to them.


    ¡°Never mind the alien bitches, you look me in the eye here,¡± Truman growled catching Jack¡¯s full attention. NO ONE called his friends ¡®bitches¡¯.


    ¡°I oughta run you in for assaulting an officer but we both know you¡¯d just walk away spotless because of some political protection bullshit!¡±


    Gee and Bal were both quite agitated by this point and Officer Truman turned on them. ¡°Settle the fuck down while I talk with your master!¡±


    While he turned his head Jack got to see what the two Altarians were upset about.


    ¡°OFFICER TRUMAN! You will NOT speak to my security escort in this manner. Yes, I have diplomatic immunity so it would be pointless to arrest me. I understand you are upset but before this gets any uglier you should know your cruiser is on fire.¡±


    The man¡¯s face went from anger to shock in a sh and he spun back to see mes begin to lick at thebustible materials on the vehicle¡¯s dash. Jack and his escorts moved a safe distance away.


    A Fire Truck descended and sted the vehicle with foam. Truman was too close and got doused as well. A smaller vehicle with Fire Chief emzoned on its side settled down a distance away and arge man stepped out to cross over to them. Truman was looking a little panicky.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± the officer blustered.


    ¡°We were contacted by your cruiser saying it had detected fire but its suppression systems had been disabled. That¡¯s something I can¡¯t ignore Officer Truman,¡± the Fire Chief said bluntly. He turned to face Jack.


    ¡°And you would be the Altarian Ambassador Jack Danner?¡± he said with a smile.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Jack smiled.


    ¡°Fire Chief Malcolm O¡¯Dwyer. Would it be okay if I took a picture of us together? My wife would kill me if I didn¡¯t,¡± the big man asked.


    ¡°d to,¡± Jack grinned.


    ¡°Officer Truman, make yourself useful and take our picture! Take a few,¡± O¡¯Dwyer barked handing the miserable cop his device.


    Jack, Bal, and Gee posed for a few pictures with the Fire Chief then O¡¯Dwyer took his phone back and reviewed them. He looked very pleased.


    ¡°Thanks! She¡¯ll be delighted! I suppose you should be on your way. I¡¯m sure Officer Truman is finished.¡± Jack and Truman both caught O¡¯Dwyer¡¯s double meaning.


    ¡°Is our limo still under the control of the cruiser?¡± Jack asked and they all looked at the foam filled carcass of the dead cruiser.


    ¡°Oh, probably. I¡¯ll call you another,¡± O¡¯Dwyer red at Truman and made a call.


    Thirty minutester Jack was following Bal into the men¡¯s dress apparel shop, his hood back in ce covering his horns. Gee followed him in and quickly assessed the solitary customer standing at the counter and the two shop staff. She dismissed them as threats and took up station a distance from the door. Bal was off to the side of the back door.

 24

    A distinguished gentleman in a finely tailored suit moved to intercept the hooligan in the hoodie. Jack pushed the hood back and the man came to an abrupt stop, his eyes widening in surprise.


    ¡°Ambassador Danner! Wee to Fitzhenry¡¯s! I am the proprietor, Walter Fitzhenry. How may I be of service today!¡± the man said breathlessly. The other staff member who was cashing out the woman gasped and dropped something on the ss counter causing a loud tter.


    The woman turned and Jack looked into emerald eyes and took in the lustrous ck hair hanging to her shoulders. She was his height and wore an incredibly beautiful smile.


    ¡°Diana?¡± he croaked.


    ¡°Jack!¡± she blurted in surprise and rushed over to give him a hug. Gee and Bal tensed but it was just a hug. To Jack it was a few seconds of heaven. Diana smelled incredible and she felt even better. To have that soft flesh pressed up against him was absolute bliss and he felt himself respond. Luckily she pulled back before she could notice.


    ¡°Jack, you didn¡¯t call!¡± she admonished him with a pout. God those lips! He struggled to pull his mind back to the conversation.


    ¡°Well, at that time this was happening,¡± he said pointing up at his horns. ¡°My brain wasn¡¯t functioning too well.¡± He cast a shamed look at his security team but they studiously avoided his gaze. ¡°Once I came out of the transformation I really didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be still interested in hearing from me.¡±


    He was suddenly aware of the rapt attention of the two gentlemen. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Diana, please excuse me for a minute. Hello Mr. Fitzhenry. I am interested in a tuxedo for a banquet in two days¡¯ time. I¡¯d prefer to be able to take the tuxedo with me today if possible or at thetest I¡¯d send someone to pick it up tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Certainly sir! Any particr kind of tuxedo you had in mind?¡± Walter asked.


    ¡°I have to look my absolute best as it will be a rather historic event I understand. I leave the choice to you.¡±


    The man was absolutely ovee with the honor being bestowed to him. ¡°Rnd! Close the shop and lock the door! We have a special customer to serve! Miss Haven, will you be staying?¡±


    Diana looked at Jack with a smile and a raised eyebrow so he nodded. Her smile grew broader and Jack was once more drawn to her lovely lips. He gave himself a shake.


    Rnd locked the door and ced a sign in the window indicating they had closed early.


    Jack took his hoodie off and the two men swarmed over him taking quick measurements. Then they moved off to make their selections.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Once they were alone again Diana turned to him. ¡°Back to what you were saying. You didn¡¯t think I¡¯d want to see you again because of these?¡± She reached up and slid a finger along one of his horns.


    He was still a little ufortable with strangers touching his horns and he didn¡¯t know Diana no matter how attracted he was to her. He pulled back gently.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I meant no offense,¡± she said looking contrite.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s ok. I¡¯m just not used to people touching them,¡± he exined.


    Walter had returned with a ssic tuxedo jacket and pant set. ¡°These should fit but we may need to take the jacket¡¯s waist in as your shoulders are so wide and your chest and back are well muscled.¡± He nced up briefly guessing what Jack needed the extra muscle for. Jack tried the jacket on over his dress shirt which he always wore open at the neck due to how wide his neck had be. He looked at himself in the mirror and smiled. He liked the tuxedo jacket quite a bit.


    ¡°You have excellent taste Mr. Fitzhenry! This jacket is gorgeous! I look amazing in it already!¡± Jack told Walter who glowed with pride.


    ¡°I am going to suggest something rather audacious,¡± Walter said with a daring look in his eye. Jack just looked at him curiously. Rnd also perked up.


    ¡°Wear the tuxedo with the shirt open at the cor as your shirt is now. Add a bow tie under the cor but left undone. To find a standard shirt that fits your neck¡¯s dimensions isn¡¯t possible. You¡¯ll need a custom shirt made for you. We can do that but it will take more time than you have. However, a nice crisp white shirt worn open and suggesting the formality of a bow tie will present an image of ss yet showcase your rebellious nature!¡±


    Jack faced the mirror and grinned at the man standing behind him.


    ¡°Yes, that sounds like me. Can I get the work done today?¡± he asked.


    From the pained look on Walter¡¯s face he had his answer. ¡°Ah, I see. Will I be able to have it for tomorrow?¡± Walter smiled and nodded. Jack rxed and nodded back.


    The man rushed off the get things started. Jack turned to Diana.


    ¡°What brings you to the store? Gift for a significant other perhaps?¡± he said, attempting to sound nonchnt.


    She grinned at him. ¡°You ARE out of practice with smooth talking thedies.¡± At his blush she chuckled. ¡°No, I¡¯m just arranging to pick up a new suit for my daddy. A present. He dresses terribly. We haven¡¯t spoken for a while as we had a real blow out a while back. I¡¯m trying this as a peace offering.¡±


    ¡°Wow! That¡¯s quite the effort for a peace offering. Were you on the wrong side of the argument?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No! I- it¡¯s just that he¡¯s all the family I have and I don¡¯t want to leave this fight between us.¡± Diana looked upset.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have said that. It¡¯s a wonderful gift. Truly,¡± Jack apologized. ¡°If you believe he deserves this much effort I¡¯d love to meet the man someday.¡±


    Diana snorted then blushed in embarrassment at her outburst while Jack looked at her with eyebrows raised. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just, you¡¯re exactly the kind of man my daddy would disapprove of. He disapproves of anyone who supports the interaction of Humans and Aliens. I think I can honestly say daddy would tell me to stay away from you.¡±


    Jack was bing uneasy with her constant references to her father as ¡®daddy¡¯. It rang his rm bells and helped cool his ardor for this lovely woman. She seemed to pick up his change in attitude and her eyes widened in rm.


    ¡°Not that I¡¯ve ever listened to his opinion when ites to who I choose to associate with! Honestly, daddy doesn¡¯t control me. I have my own criteria for selecting suitablepanions,¡± she said touching his arm with a sultry smile on her lips.


    ¡°If we are beingpletely honest, your use of the term ¡®daddy¡¯ is setting off my rm bells. A past experience that didn¡¯t end well for me. Something involving shotguns and first kin,¡± he exined looking her straight in the eye. She pulled her hand back.


    ¡°Queen Elissa! She¡¯s on television and SHE¡¯S PREGNANT!¡± Rnd squealed excitedly. Walter rushed out from the back room to watch with a huge smile on his face too. They were obviously fans! They looked at him as Rnd gestured towards a screen he¡¯d just turned on. The scene was of the royal pce on Altaria where the Queen was giving a press conference for the uing Treaty signing. Though it looked like she was trying to disguise it she could not hide the little bump on her tummy and the news casters had quickly switched stories from the treaty to the surprise pregnancy. This was HUGE news and overshadowed a mere annual signing of a boring old Treaty with ancient enemies. The normally proper and civil press were knocked off their game by this sudden excitement and barked questions at the Queen.


    In her state of imminent birth a regr press conference would have been a strain but now that it had turned into a feeding frenzy she quickly lost herposure and shrank back from the yelling. Karrel was standing next to her with a look of concern on her face.


    Then the Queen¡¯s water broke.


    There was sudden stillness and silence as the entire press core went into shock. Then all hell broke loose as the medical team that had been waiting on the sidelines rushed in to collect their patient. The cameras pushed in close and Jack was watching Karrel help her mother to lie down on the stretcher. Elissa was bing emotionally agitated and was crying out. The quality of the Altarian camera equipment proved its excellent audio capture technology when it picked up her next words to her daughter.


    ¡°Find Jack! Tell him our baby is arriving!¡±


    Once more stillness and silence descended upon the press. This gave the medicos time to snatch the Queen to safety while Karrel stayed behind to deflect their questions.


    The headlines under the image on the screen were frightening. The worst of them was ¡®Queen carrying Mutant Earthling Baby¡¯.


    Jack must have groaned as everyone in the shop turned to face him including Bal and Gee but he only had eyes for the drama unfolding on the screen.


    The press exploded and Karrel showed her regal fortitude when she stared them all down into silence. ¡°I will give a statement then I will take questions in a civilized manner. Yes, my mother is pregnant and yes our Trade Representative and Ambassador is the father but there is NO need to be concerned for the mother or the child. It will be born healthy andpletely Altarian. How do I know?¡± Karrel wore a huge smile on her face now but Jack was mumbling ¡®No, no, no¡¯ as she prepared to speak. ¡°I know because I had his first child. ¡®Alex¡¯ is a beautiful male baby,pletely healthy andpletely Altarian.¡± She did something on her personal device and looked back at the press. ¡°If you look at my socialwork page you will see the first publicly avable images of our son.¡±


    Jack groaned again.


    ¡°You had sex with an Altarian?¡± Diana gasped. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t appear horrified by the idea.


    ¡°At least two,¡± Rnd said. ¡°WAIT! You had sex with a Queen and she¡¯s giving birth to your CHILD! Does that make you the KING?¡± The man¡¯s eyes were threatening to pop right out of his head. Yeah, this guy was a monarchist for sure.

 25

    ¡°NO! No, I¡¯m sure it doesn¡¯t mean that,¡± Jack said looking at Gee and Bal for confirmation as did the rest.


    ¡°Jack is not King. He is¡­ the Queen¡¯s Consort,¡± Gee said with a subdued voice.


    ¡°Consort?!? But that means he¡¯s married to the Queen!¡± Rnd continued to hyperventte.


    ¡°Altarians don¡¯t have the concept of marriage or even boyfriend girlfriend. I have no idea what being an Altarian Consort means,¡± Jack growled. ¡°Regardless, I have to get back to Altaria. I¡¯m a ¡®daddy¡¯¡­ again. See, here it¡¯s appropriate to use that term. They¡¯re babies.¡±


    Diana squirmed. ¡°On Earth it¡¯s a term of endearment and has no age restrictions,¡± she pouted.


    Jack went still and looked at the woman. ¡°You know I¡¯m from Earth, right?¡±


    Her pout just got deeper.


    Jack looked back to Walter. ¡°Do you have everything you need to finish the tuxedo?¡± The man nodded, still looking a little awestruck to be clothing the Queen¡¯s Consort. ¡°OK, add to that order eight dress shirts and four pairs of dress cks, you select the colors and patterns. You have impable taste and you have the sizes. I¡¯ll settle the bill now so my order can just be picked up tomorrow,¡± he exined.


    Walter entered his order into his sales terminal and Jack¡¯s eyes widened at the total but he knew his ount would cover it so he authorized the transfer.


    ¡°May we im to have dressed the Altarian Queen¡¯s Consort in our marketing materials?¡± Walter asked.


    ¡°Sure, but you might want to hold off for a short time to see how the winds blow. I have a feeling not everyone will be as controlled in their reaction as Diana here.¡± ncing at the woman in question he was surprised to see she was looking back with desire in her eyes. Hadn¡¯t he just used her of acting childish?


    There was a series of heavy thumps on the front door and Gee made her way over to Jack¡¯s side.


    ¡°There is a group of angry looking men at the door and I don¡¯t believe they are annoyed at not being able to purchase clothing. I believe we were seen entering this establishment which is no longer a safe ce for you. We should leave,¡± she insisted.


    Bal arrived at his side. ¡°Someone is pounding on the back door as well. They sound angry.¡±


    There was a loud rattling sound and they turned their eyes to the front windows where riot guards were rolling down to protect the ss. This covered the front and rear doors as well. Walter stepped out of the backroom where he¡¯d triggered the protection.


    ¡°How are we supposed to leave now?¡± Jack asked him.


    ¡°I can fly you out,¡± Diana said. ¡°If we are going to leave I suggest we do it now before someone thinks to go to the roof parking lot.¡± Gee and Bal nodded to her and they set off at a trot.


    Jack quickly shook Walter¡¯s and Rnd¡¯s hands then raced after thedies. When he stepped out onto the roof Diana was already behind the controls powering up the sleek vehicle and Bal had the rear door open. Gee grabbed his arm as he came out onto the roof deck and the two agents practically tossed him in the back door as they followed him in. He fell into the foot well on his back and the two Altarians climbed on top of him, hiding him from view. They¡¯d pulled their gowns off and used their ck fur to make the back seat look like it was in deep shadow. It was a very convincing illusion. The only problem being the fact that Jack now had two naked Altarian females pressing their bodies over his and he began to respond.


    ¡°Can you two get off of me?¡± Jack pleaded.


    ¡°Lie still and be quiet!¡± Bal hissed and squished him deeper into the well.


    That just pressed her lower breasts harder against his chest and her upper ones against his chin. Gee¡¯s stomach was bearing the brunt of his growth. ¡°That is ufortable. Stop it,¡± Gee grunted.


    ¡°I would if you two would get off of me!¡± he growled. His arm was trapped beneath him and began to cramp so he had to move it. He tugged it out from under his body and felt something wet.


    ¡°Remove your hand, NOW!¡± Bal growled.


    He jerked his hand away from her inner thighs. ¡°Oh god! I¡¯m sorry, my arm was cramping. No offense meant.¡± Desperate to get his mind off of the sensations he was feeling with Bal¡¯s breasts rubbing him and Gee squirming against his erection he called out to Diana.


    ¡°Are you taking us to the Gate terminal?¡± he said.


    ¡°I was but there was a huge crowd of people in front of the building. There was nowhere safe tond and you would never have made it to the entrance. I¡¯m taking you to my ce until we can think of another idea. It¡¯s secure,¡± she answered.


    Jack struggled to remain calm but his body was heating up. He was sure his musk must be reaching saturation in the closed interior of the vehicle. While they were remarkably disciplined, he was beginning to scent a spicy heating from the agents.


    Bal shifted suddenly and a stiff nipple was pressing against his lips. He gasped involuntarily and it was in his mouth. She clutched his head to hold him still but his tongue stroked the fleshy nub pinched between his lips. Bal made a sound much like a whimper and pressed her tit harder against his mouth. He opened his mouth a little wider and sucked more of her tit inside while his tongue stroked across her nipple feeling it swell.


    This had the effect of making his cock stand at full attention and Gee squirmed to find a morefortable position for her poked stomach.


    Bal began trembling and twitching. She was moaning with need so Jack moved his hand back to the wetness and felt her tense up as his fingers slid inside. She didn¡¯t say anything this time but just opened her legs slightly to allow him better ess. He pumped two fingers deeply into her and he heard her breath gust out in deep panting. Ten strokester he gently tugged at her nipple with his teeth and her thighs snapped together pinning his hand in ce. Bal gushed her orgasm over his hand and unfortunately over Gee¡¯s chest.


    Gee sputtered her indignation then the light in the vehicle dropped suddenly as it swept under the cover of a garage.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Diana said over the seat.


    Gee was immediately moving. She opened the door and slipped out to ensure they were secure. Bal disengaged from Jack and wobbled as she tried to follow her partner. She nced back at Jack with a troubled look then was outside. He pulled himself out of the foot well, picked up the Altarian¡¯s gowns, and climbed out into the interior of a private garage. There was a space next to Diana¡¯s for another vehicle but otherwise the space was empty. A door to the house was off to their left.


    ¡°This is a private dwelling?¡± Gee asked Diana.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s just me,¡± she replied and Jack noticed her face was flushed. She moved forward and palmed the door open and Gee was inside. Momentster Bal indicated they could enter.


    ¡°We must¡­ clean ourselves Do not leave the house and stay away from the windows,¡± Bal said as the two Altarians took their gowns from Jack and stepped into the guest washroom.


    As soon as they were alone Diana crushed herself up against Jack¡¯s chest and her tongue was in his mouth.


    Jack reeled with the incredible sensation of herrge tits pressing against him. It had been a long time since he¡¯d felt that. He kissed her back, tangling his tongue around hers as she ground her mound against his cock. His hands dropped to grab her ass and he pulled her tight against himself.


    Diana pulled back as suddenly as she¡¯d kissed him and grabbed his hand. She pulled him down the hall and across the house through the door to her bedroom. They frantically took their clothes off as they drank in each other¡¯s bodies. She grinned appreciatively when he threw off his shirt.


    Diana was all lush curves and smooth skin. She kept fit but not to the point where her softness was reced by hard nes of her underlying muscles. Her breasts wererge and she supported them with a sexy ckce bra which she was just removing. Jack smiled when he saw herrge are and thick nipples. So different from the Altarians. Hisst article of clothing dropped and she pulled him onto the bed. She slid her body over his and kissed him again.


    It was heaven! Diana was so soft and so much heavier than an Altarian, not that he¡¯d be so stupid to tell her that.


    He rolled her over onto her back and kissed his way down her neck. She moaned and he made note to return to her sensitive neckter.


    Jack squeezed her breasts in his hands, marvelling at their weight and softness then he took as much of one in his mouth as he could. He teased her nipple with his tongue as he gently scraped his teeth across the are. Diana grabbed his head and pulled it tighter against her breast. He finally had to push himself away as he was at risk of suffocating in her flesh. He paid equal attention to her other tit and barely escaped losing his life to that one as well. He made his way down her smooth torso.


    He noticed she had a bit of jewellery dangling from her belly button and moved on to the small patch of hair she¡¯d left above her pussy. He pressed his lips to it and Diana moaned and thrust her hips up as her eyes closed.N?velDrama.Org content.


    He could scent that she was ready and needed no further teasing. He stroked her from bottom to top once with the t of his tongue and she arched once more as she cried out her pleasure.


    Jack remembered his female anatomy lessons and brought her to heights she¡¯d never experienced before. Her swollen clit tingled madly as he returned to it again and again only to stop to allow the sensations to calm.


    ¡°Fuck me Jack! Oh God! Fuck me!¡± she cried as she wed at him to climb back up her body.


    He froze, his brain returning to him. ¡°I don¡¯t have a condom!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on the pill. Get up here and fuck me!¡± she growled.


    Without further dy Jack moved up on the bed and slipped his hard cock deep into her wet pussy. He didn¡¯t stop until their bodies pped together.


    ¡°AAAAaaaaaaaaah! Fuck! That felt so good!¡± Diana screamed.


    Jack started up a rhythm as she cried out and pulled at his ass. Then he elerated until he was hammering her into the mattress.


    ¡°FFFFFUUUUUUUCCCCCKKKKK MMMEEEEE!!!!!¡± Diana screamed, her legs flung wide. She looked up at him with a strange expression then she reached up and grabbed his horns. Her smile went crooked and her eyes rolled back in her head. Jack snorted in surprise but unconsciously increased his pace and force until the mming impacts were bing brutal and both of them were bathed in sweat.

 26

    ¡°I- I- I¡¯M CU- CUUUUUMMMMMMIIIIIINNNNNGGG! AAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIEEEEE!¡± Diana screamed as her body spasmed under Jack¡¯s. He finally allowed himself to release and his orgasm crashed over his senses as he ground against Diana.


    ¡°FuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuck!¡± she squealed as the extra sensation against her clit drove her up and over another precipice.


    Finally they were both spent and Diana¡¯s hands released their grip on his horns. Jack flopped to the bed beside her.


    ¡°Oh my god! What you did to me! It was so hot!¡± she gasped.


    ¡°Yeah, that was pretty intense,¡± Jack gasped as he tried to catch his breath.


    She rolled onto her side to watch him. ¡°That was just what I needed after that drive!¡± Diana gushed. ¡°What were you doing behind the seat? I just got more and more fired up!¡±


    Jack was a little ufortable talking about that so he shrugged.


    ¡°Daddy was right, you are the wrong kind of man for me which makes you all the more delicious!¡± she giggled.


    Jack¡¯s rm bells were ringing at maximum volume now. Diana was a rebellious daddy¡¯s girl looking for depraved sex tales she could torture her father with. What was more depraved than having sex with a man who had sex with aliens? Who was her ¡®daddy¡¯ anyway?


    ¡°You said your father doesn¡¯t like Human-Alien rtions. This would likely hurt him greatly. I thought you were trying to mend fences with him!¡± Jack eximed.


    ¡°Daddy¡¯s such a hypocrite! He works on Earth¡¯s Security Council Force, deals with Human-Alien rtions all day ying the protector yet all he really wants to do is to force every Alien off the! He¡¯d gun them all down if he could. He makes me so angry! Why does he have to be like that!¡± she began to cry.


    Jack realized he was in a very bad ce. He rolled off of the bed and grabbed his clothes. His pants were coated in Bal¡¯s spray. He¡¯d need to clean them but first he needed to clean himself, quick. He smelled of sex!


    He handed Diana a box of tissues then ducked into the bedroom¡¯s bathroom and jumped in the shower. He washed the scent of sex from his body and dried off quickly. At the sink he washed the leg of his pants to clean most of the spray off. He dressed and stepped back out into the bedroom.


    Diana was sitting on the edge of her bed. She¡¯d slipped her panties and bra on and looked incredible except for the sad look on her face. Jack needed to hide her body from his sight so he brought her the silk dressing gown he saw hanging on the back of the bathroom door. She saw him holding it and stood up so he could help her put it on. She smiled, took his arms and wrapped them around her under her breasts. This pressed her ass against his groin and his cock immediately woke up.


    ¡°Mmmm! Looks like someone is d to see me!¡± Diana moaned.


    Jack pulled himself away. ¡°We don¡¯t have time right now, Diana. I have to get back to Altaria.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it? You seduce me, make love to me and toss me aside?¡± she pouted.


    ¡°Seduce you?!? You were the one who dragged me across your house to have sex!¡± Jack eximed.


    Her pout got deeper. ¡°OK, but, it was the best I¡¯ve ever had and I don¡¯t want you to disappear from my life!¡±


    ¡°It was really great sex and I think you are incredibly beautiful and sexy but I¡¯ll be honest. I¡¯m worried you¡¯re just using me to punish your father.¡±


    Her expression went from angry denial to confusion to embarrassed eptance in quick session. Jack saw that for all her ¡®daddy¡¯ talk, the woman had a brain in that beautiful head and could use it. He rxed a little.


    ¡°Earth Council Security Forces have arrived to take us to the Gate terminal,¡± Gee said, standing in the open doorway. ¡°Are you finished having sex? May we leave?¡±


    ¡°DIANA!¡± came a shout from down the hall.


    ¡°Daddy?¡± she replied.


    Jack looked at Diana in shock. ¡°YOU CALLED HIM?!?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Bal contacted the Earth Council to get us secure transport to the Gate terminal. They said they¡¯d be here in twenty minutes but they arrived in fifteen.¡±


    There was a loud bang. A gunshot! Gee spun and saw a man holding his eye running towards the bedroom. Her hands moved too fast for Jack to follow them but he heard a scream of rage. Gee shot out of the bedroom and Jack surge forward after her.


    Once he got to the door the scene burned into his mind.


    Far down the hall Baly crumpled on the floor.


    Gee was fighting a man with body armor whose eyes were tearing badly. His ability to see must have been impaired by something.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    The man wasn¡¯t going down under Gee¡¯s kicks and punches. His body armor was too strong.


    Gee kept doing something with her hands and the man kept his hands up to protect his eyes.


    Jack wasn¡¯t even aware he was racing down the hall at the man until the scream of rage burst from his throat.


    The man was fast. He snatched a gun from his hip and fired it in the direction of the scream but Jack had dipped his head down. The bullet deflected off his horn and screamed off into the ceiling as he charged forward.


    Jack hit the man¡¯s face with his horns and there was a sickening crack as bones broke. He copsed like a rag doll with Jack falling over him. Once they bothnded Jack scrambled away from him and rushed down the hall to see Bal. She was breathing but there was a bullet wound through her side. Two more Security Forces troops rushed into the house and yelled for everyone to freeze.


    Jack yelled for them to get a stretcher.


    The first man through the door turned to him and recognized him. ¡°Ambassador Danner! What is the situation sir?¡±


    ¡°That man is the father of the home¡¯s owner. He¡¯s also a xenophobe. He shot Bal here and attacked Gee. He also shot at me but I knocked him down. I need to get my friend back to Altaria NOW!¡±


    Diana came out of the bedroom and saw her father. She screamed and ran to his side. Gee didn¡¯t block her as she¡¯d already removed and disarmed all of his weapons.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your father Diana but he was going to kill us,¡± Jack said gently as he waited for the stretcher for Bal. Hisst sight of the beautiful woman was her crying on her father¡¯s chest.


    The trooper returned and Jack and Gee secured her to the floating tform. They rushed out of the house and into the back of therge truck. They flew with emergency priority over all other traffic back to the Gate terminal. Jack saw therge angry mob waiting outside of a security barricade that had been set up around the building. He was sickened by the small minded reactions of these fearful people.


    They had called ahead so once they parked directly in front of the terminal they went straight to the Gate room and through to Altaria. An Altarian security team was waiting on the other side and exchanged stretchers with the Earth Forces who went back through the gate to Earth.


    The next minutes were a chaotic blur as the group was rushed to the hospital. Bal was rushed off to an operating theatre and Gee and Jack were moved to separate treatment rooms where they were attended to. Gee just had bruising so she came to find Jack. Three doctors were inspecting the point where the bullet had deflected. They passed some devices over the spot until Jack had had enough.


    ¡°What?¡± he finally growled.


    ¡°The underlying structure of your horns is very resilient. It is healing and will be back to full strength likely in a few days. The outer surface is exceptionally dense. The silver streak the bullet left behind appears to be residue torn from the bullet. It¡¯s pure silver!¡±


    ¡°He had his handgun loaded with silver bullets?!?¡± Jack eximed.


    Gee looked at him closely. ¡°Is the choice of that metal significant?¡±


    ¡°It proves his xenophobia at the very least. At most he was a fucking lunatic! On Earth silver bullets were supposed to be the only way to kill mythological monsters called Werewolves. They don¡¯t exist and the whole thing is based on a make believe story. You and Bal should join me for movie night and we can watch some old ssic horror stories like ¡®The Werewolf¡¯ or ¡®Frankenstein¡¯.¡± Gee gave him a rare smile.


    Thinking of Bal Jack turned to the doctor. ¡°Can we leave now? We need to check on Bal.¡±


    The doctors nodded so Jack and Gee went looking for her. They found a doctor outside of the operating rooms who said Bal was currently in surgery and they¡¯d need to take a seat. They sat side by side and waited. Jack suddenly remembered Gee¡¯s rapid hand motions during the fight.


    ¡°Gee, what were you doing with your hands that was causing that guys eyes to water so badly?¡± he asked quietly.


    She held open her palm and in it were three translucent rubber bands.


    ¡°You were shooting him in the eyes with rubber bands?!?¡± he gasped.


    ¡°Very effective eye irritant!¡± she said quietly.


    ¡°Sure if you are as urate with them as you seem to be.¡± He picked one of them up and examined it. He didn¡¯t recall seeing this kind of rubber band in the bag. ¡°Where did you get these?¡±


    ¡°Tailor shop, back room. Bal got them,¡± Gee said looking towards the doors.


    ¡°You only have three left?¡± he asked. She nodded looking up at him.


    Jack realized how close that fight had been.


    Gee reached up and rubbed the silver streak on his horn. It seemed to be permanent. ¡°I like your essorizing. Looks good against the ck of the horn,¡± she said with another rare smile. He smiled back and nodded.


    The doors opened and a doctor came out looking for them. They immediately stood and walked to her.

 27

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Maurra. I worked on Bal. She¡¯s going to be fine. She¡¯s lost some blood but the bullet missed her internal organs and only broke a rib. We got all the pieces and bonded them back in ce. She¡¯s going to need to take it easy for a month but she¡¯ll fully recover.¡±


    ¡°Can we see her?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°In a few hours. She¡¯s still sedated and needs to recover from her blood loss. If you¡¯ll excuse me,¡± Maurra smiled and moved away.


    ¡°Thank you doctor!¡± Jack called out and received a smile as she went back behind the doors.


    There was amotion from down the hall near the elevators and they watched two ebony furred agents moving in their direction followed by the Minister of Security Hellna, a light tan furred female he didn¡¯t recognize, and three male Altarians.


    Jack was surprised as he¡¯d never seen more than one male at a time. Aside from the male schools he didn¡¯t think they liked to be near each other. It was some kind ofpetitive instinct. He noticed they were each wearing a ne with a small metal ball containing what looked like leaves. To Jack they looked like those tea leaves infuser you dunked in a cup of hot water. Maybe the smell let them tolerate other males.


    The group stopped before Jack and Gee and he saw Hellna looked uneasy.


    ¡°Hello Jack.¡±


    ¡°Hi Hellna, what¡¯s up?¡±


    She nced at the three males who were looking rather smug.


    ¡°These three males represent ¡®The Enlightened Consortium of Male Altarians¡¯ also known as TECOMA and in light of the fact that the Queen has announced you as her Consort-¡±


    ¡°OH MY GOD! I forgot Elissa was having our child! How is she? How is the baby?¡± Jack interrupted.


    Hellna held up her hands to calm Jack and smiled. The three males lost their smug expressions and were beginning to look indignant at being ignored.


    ¡°Queen Elissa is well and blissfully happy. Your¡­ second son is doing very well. Perfectly healthy and absolutely beautiful!¡±


    The males made impatient sounds to get her back to their point.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get your panties in a bunch boys, Hellna and I are discussing important stuff here. We¡¯ll get back to your COMA party soon enough. When can I see her?¡± Jack was looking away so he missed the look of outrage on their faces.


    The woman he didn¡¯t know stepped forward. ¡°Hello, Ambassador Danner. I¡¯m Narelle, Minister of Justice. That¡¯s actually what we¡¯re here to discuss. Your right to be Queen¡¯s Consort has been challenged. It¡¯s an ancientw but the challenge has been legally registered and we must follow it to the letter.¡± She gestured to the male in front to step forward.


    ¡°I am Lunnae, lead speaker for ¡®The Enlightened Consortium of Male Altarians¡¯. We do hereby serve notice of challenge to one Jack Danner of Earth that he must defeat us in unarmedbat to prove he is worthy of being the Queen¡¯s Consort.¡±


    Narelle nodded. ¡°The challenge has been properly issued.¡±


    Gee took that moment to step forward and stare down the males. ¡°Do you realize we¡¯ve just returned from Earth where Jack challenged an armed and battle trained Human soldier in body armor and Jack defeated him? That streak of silver on his horn? The remains of a silver bullet, the fabled ammunition used against Earth¡¯s most feared monsters! Jack. Will. CRUSH. YOU!¡± Gee screamed and Jack reached over to pull her back to his side. He was stunned by her rage. He¡¯d never seen an angry Altarian and it was just a little bit frightening¡­ and strangely endearing. Gee breathed in pants as she red at the males who all looked like they desperately wanted to be somewhere else right now.


    Lunnae finally got control over his flight impulse and turned a weak smile towards Gee. ¡°His brutish size is not being disputed. He mustplete the challenge or face the consequence.¡±


    Jack was getting impatient. He wanted to go see Elissa. ¡°OK, fine. Line up and I will knock you three down and we can be done with this.¡±


    Narelle had an ufortable look on her face. Jack looked to her. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Jack. It doesn¡¯t work that way. The challenge was registered by TECOMA. You must defeat all of their members.¡±


    ¡°How many is that?¡± he asked.


    ¡°We are 245 members strong,¡± Lunnae grinned.


    Jack looked at him incredulously. ¡°You managed to get 245 males to join your little boys club? Wow! Good for you!¡±


    Lunnae smiled with pride then he heard the insult. His smile turned to a look of anger. ¡°How I loath you!¡±


    Jack grinned then his grin got really wide. ¡°Wait a minute! You¡¯re Denee¡¯s Lunnae, aren¡¯t you! You already have an axe to grind with me, don¡¯t you!¡±


    Hellna stepped forward with an outraged look at Lunnae. ¡°Axes are NOT allowed in this challenge! Seize it!¡± she told the guards.


    ¡°What?¡± Lunnae squeaked.


    The two ebony guards moved to him and roughly searched his person while he screeched and yelped.


    ¡°Sorry, ¡®axe to grind¡¯ is just an Earth phrase that means he has an ulterior motive. He has an issue with me because he didn¡¯t meet Denee¡¯s¡­ sexual expectations. I mean after she¡¯d been with me. Denee was indiscrete and told him this.¡±


    Hellna smirked and looked back at Jack. ¡°His reasons for filing the challenge do not matter in this instance. The challenge was legally registered and issued.¡±


    ¡°Fine! Let¡¯s do this!¡± Jack barked. He stood a ways from the group and gestured for Lunnae toe at him.


    ¡°First Challenger?¡± Narelle called out.


    The male hiding behind Lunnae was pushed forward until he stood facing Jack.


    ¡°State your name for the record,¡± Narelle said.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Lio¡± he squeaked, trembling. Jack dropped his fighting stance. This was pathetic.


    Narelle looked at both of them. ¡°Begin.¡±


    ¡°FORFEIT!¡± Lio screamed and dropped to the ground in a ball.


    Jack looked at him incredulously then looked over at Hellna.


    ¡°First battle goes to Jack Danner of Earth,¡± Narelle intoned officially.


    ¡°Well¡­ that was easy,¡± Jack mumbled. Lio was still trembling on the floor. ¡°Next,¡± Jack said.


    Narelle¡¯s expression became pained again. Jack rolled his eyes. ¡°Now what?¡±


    ¡°The challenge was registered for each battle to be scheduled on their own day,¡± she stated.


    ¡°One a day?!? That¡¯s 244 more days!¡± Jack growled.


    ¡°On behalf of the remaining 244batants I hereby register the requirement of the Abstinence use,¡± Lunnae said springing his trap. His face split into a wide evil grin.


    Jack looked at the male in confusion. Then he looked over at Hellna whose face was going through a series of emotions. Shock, dread, rage, and finally despair. She looked over at Jack with sad eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Jack. He¡¯s legally able to request this and it must beplied with. She looked at Narelle who continued the point.


    ¡°I will assign you a Judge who will remain with you during the remaining 244 days. They are never to be outside of your immediate vicinity. If you are separated from your Judge you will forfeit. The use which has been enacted requires you to remain on Altaria and refrain from sexual congress. Should you have rtions of a sexual nature with a female, you will default and forfeit.¡±


    ¡°What exactly is the penalty of forfeiting?¡± Jack asked. He had no idea what being a Consort was so maybe it wouldn¡¯t be so bad to lose it.


    ¡°Banishment from thends owned by the female the challenge was issued for,¡± Hellna uttered.


    ¡°You MONSTER!¡± Gee leapt at Lunnae but Jack caught her.


    Hellna nodded sadly. ¡°Yes Gee, in this case the female is the Queen so Jack would be banished from Altaria and all Altarian worlds. To return would mean his death.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t see the mob on Earth wanting Jack to be killed just because he¡¯d had sex with an Altarian. Earth is no longer a safe ce for Jack either,¡± Gee growled. Jack was really starting to worry about her state of mind. Gee pulled away from his hands but she remained by his side.


    ¡°Hey! I don¡¯t know why there are so many gloomy faces. It¡¯s just 244 days. I¡¯ve gone without sex for longer than that before. It wasn¡¯t fun but I did it!¡± Jack grinned.


    Hellna walked up to him and took his hands. ¡°Jack, were you told that you¡¯re emitting male musk? It tells us how healthy you are, how you rate as a matingpanion, and sometimes as in your case it¡¯s a score card. We know you¡¯ve been very, very¡­ very popr. Going from that to nothing is¡­ well, it¡¯s not possible.¡±


    Jack looked at Lunnae and saw his vicious glee.


    He pulled his hands back from Hellna¡¯s and walked over to the male who looked up at him in defiance.


    ¡°Go ahead, strike me. Forfeit now!¡± Lunnae said with a tremor in his voice.


    Jack grinned at Lunnae. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hit you. I¡¯m going to oust you¡­ again.¡± He grinned at the look of suppressed rage on the male¡¯s face. He turned his back on the male and walked back to Narelle. ¡°Hook me up with a Judge and let the games begin.¡±


    Narelle spoke with someone on her phone and once she hung up she turned to Jack. ¡°Judge Aaros will meet you at your apartment tonight.¡±


    Jack snorted. ¡°Did you say Judge Eros?¡±


    ¡°That sounds simr but I said Aaros. What is Eros?¡± Narelle asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a word from an ancientnguage on Earth that means the expression of sexual love. Seems kind of contrary to have a Judge named that considering her job will be to ensure that the expression of sexual love doesn¡¯t happen.¡±


    Hellna looked like she was ready to leave. ¡°Gee, you need to be debriefed about today¡¯s activities. You wille back to headquarters with me,¡± she said. Gee frowned then nodded and walked over to her boss. Jack shared Hellna¡¯s look of concern about Gee.


    Then her worried look was for him but she shook his hand and headed back to the elevators with Gee.


    Narelle got Jack¡¯s attention. ¡°These agents will be your chaperones back to your apartment. They will ensure you do not default. They will also be your protection detail until Gee and Bal are both able to return to service.¡± She hesitated. ¡°Whenever that will be.¡±


    ¡°I want to see Queen Elissa,¡± Jack said.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be possible tonight. She is back at her residence and you need to go to your apartment to meet the Judge. You should call her when you get home.¡±


    Jack looked at the three males. ¡°I don¡¯t have to bring these wankers with me do I?¡±


    ¡°Why did he call us wankers?¡± Lio whined at Lunnae.


    ¡°What¡¯s a wanker?¡± the quiet male finally spoke.


    ¡°Shut up fools! Don¡¯t give him the satisfaction! I don¡¯t know what a wanker is¡­ but it can¡¯t be good!¡± Lunnae spat.

 28

    Narelle ignored the bickering males. ¡°No, their business with you today is almost done. They must announce to you the time and ce for the next battle and it must be within a day. If they fail to provide an opponent within that time they forfeit. If their opponent does not appear and they do not rece him with someone else from the list then they forfeit.


    ¡°We will meet Jack Danner at 10AM in the courtyard in front of the Embassy,¡± Lunnae sneered.


    ¡°See you then, Tinkles,¡± Jack said hearing an angry growl in response. With a nod to Narelle he made his way to the elevator. He had some calls to make.


    ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯te to see your son?¡± Elissa said using her monarch voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m kind of under house arrest at the moment. I¡¯m waiting for a Judge toe to my apartment to begin her babysitting session. Which willst 244 more days apparently.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you need a Judge to watch you. What have you done?¡± she asked with a pout.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually what we did. We had a child which apparently made me your Consort. This pissed off a certain group of Altarian males but especially one who filed a challenge against me as Consort. Unarmedbat against all 245 of them, one a day for 245 days.¡±


    ¡°Jack, Altarian males are no match for you!¡± she purred.


    ¡°That¡¯s what got me in this trouble. They also filed an Abstinence use. No sex with females until the end of the challenge.¡±


    ¡°WHAT!?!¡±


    Jack leaned back from the screen. The Queen¡¯s outburst was a little more emotional than he expected.


    ¡°THAT WON¡¯T DO! Jack, I want another baby!¡± she cried.


    ¡°What? But you just had one!¡± Jack eximed.


    ¡°Yes, but to keep the ages close I want to immediately get started on having a girl like Leffera is having!¡± the Queenined.


    ¡°Leffera¡¯s having a girl? I¡¯m having a daughter?¡± Jack asked, stunned.


    ¡°Oh! I¡¯m sorry, maybe I wasn¡¯t supposed to say anything until Leffera mentioned it,¡± she said, looking contrite.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be speaking with her shortly,¡± Jack said, pulling himself together. ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t think there is any way out of this challenge but to y it out. The next time I get to have sex is 244 days from now.¡±


    ¡°244?!? I heard 24 days which would have been tortuous enough. Oh Jack, you¡¯re not going tost!¡± she gasped.


    ¡°Wow! Thanks for the vote of confidence!¡± he growled.


    ¡°It¡¯s not ack of confidence in you Jack. It¡¯s simple biochemistry,¡± she tried to exin.


    ¡°Yeah, whatever. Listen I will try to visit as soon as I can. I want to see my son. Have you named him?¡± he asked.


    Elissa looked a little bashful. ¡°Actually, I was hoping you would have a good name for him, like you did for my grandson.¡±


    ¡°I do have a name but I need to see him to see if the name fits him,¡± Jack exined.


    ¡°Wait! I¡¯ll get him!¡± Elissa jumped up and rushed from the room. Jack was left looking at the empty room. He heard a cooing sound as Elissa walked back into the room with a bundle in her arms. ¡°Jack, may I present to you, our son.¡± She held the tiny baby up to the camera.


    Once more he couldn¡¯t get over how tiny Altarian babies were. He was squirming a little and made a cranky face. Jack started to cry silent tears as he smiled at the little miracle.


    ¡°Jack? Are you sad?¡± Elissa asked, surprised.


    ¡°No. These are tears of happiness. He¡¯s perfect! He just made a face that reminded me of my grandfather. If you wouldn¡¯t mind I¡¯d be honored if we could name him Max,¡± Jack exined.


    ¡°Such a short name!¡± she said and Jack could hear the question and hope in her tone.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the version friends and family use. The formal, full version is Maximilian,¡± he said and smiled at the look of surprise and excitement on her face.


    ¡°Maximilian! That is a perfect name for our son! So grand and proper for a Prince! It has that unique sound in the middle yet rolls off the tongue!¡± Elissa gushed. ¡°Oh thank you Jack! You¡¯ve made me so happy! I cannot begin to tell you!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d I could give you this as that other happiness is going to have to wait,¡± Jack said.


    ¡°We will see!¡± the Queen said, her regal voice back. ¡°I will speak with you tomorrow. Sleep well!¡±


    Jack was left looking at the nk screen as she hung up.


    ¡°Good night, Max,¡± he whispered to himself.


    He ran his fingers back through his hair and realized he still had the rubber band tying it back. He tugged it off and shook his hair out. God! It was getting long! He dropped the band on his dresser.


    He walked out of the bedroom to see the two agents sittingfortably in his living room.


    ¡°No sign of the Judge yet?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Five minutes out.¡± The one sitting in the chair by the window said. They hadn¡¯t offered their names and when asked they just stared at him. He recalled Gee and Bal¡¯s stiffness at first but they showed some personality at least.


    It was getting close to 10PM and Jack had a special call to make with Leffera. He¡¯d need his privacy for that one but he needed to be sure that he wasn¡¯t going to default based on a technicality.


    Jack found himself needlessly tidying his tidy apartment and realized he was doing it because of the judge who was going to be there any second.


    The two agents got to their hooves and went to the front door. Jack hadn¡¯t heard anything but they opened the door. The judge was standing in the doorway framed by the two ebony agents which may have been why her white fur seemed to shine. Or it could have been the fact that she was standing under the ceiling light. Regardless of the cause the brilliance of her white fur was jarring. He knew intellectually that the monochromatism gic mutation which caused the agents to be entirely ck from their fur to their eyes also produced the opposite, apletely white Altarian. He just hadn¡¯t been prepared to see one in person. She stood in the doorway staring at Jack with the same look of surprise.


    ¡°Horns!¡± she said.


    This was enough to jar Jack out of his stupor. He moved closer. ¡°Yes, hi! I¡¯m Jack Danner, the human with horns.¡±


    She squeezed her eyes closed. When she reopened them she seemed calmer, more controlled. ¡°My apologies Ambassador Danner. Of course. Please forgive my rudeness in staring and blurting out the obvious. I was caught unprepared.¡±


    ¡°As long as you forgive my rudeness at staring. I also wasn¡¯t prepared to meet someone with your unique coloration. It¡¯s quite beautiful! I mean you¡¯re quite beautiful!¡± he stumbled.


    Her eyes snapped to his and he could see she was looking for something in his expression or tone. When she saw he was just giving his honest opinion she smiled sweetly then shook the expression from her face.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I am Judge Aaros. It will be my duty to ensure you abstain from sexual contact with females for the next 244 days or until the challenge is withdrawn by the applicants.¡±


    Jack nodded.


    The agents nodded to the judge and looked at Jack. ¡°We will be back in the morning to take you to work.¡±


    ¡°Uh, I want to get back to my morning exercise routine. I run a few miles at a pretty brutal pace for Altarians.¡± He looked at the judge. ¡°Apparently I have to keep you in my vicinity. How is that going to work?¡±


    ¡°I can follow you on my personal skimmer. I rode it to get here tonight,¡± she replied.


    Jack turned back to the agents. They were giving him smug looks. ¡°We can keep up.¡±


    ¡°OK, but don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you. You may want to talk to Gee about it. I start at 7AM,¡± he said. With matching smirks the agents left.


    Jack nced at the time. Just about time for the call. He walked into the apartment with Aaros following.


    ¡°I need a point of rification. When the rule states I cannot have sex with females may I assume this means sex where both partners are within physical proximity and are able to touch each other?¡± he asked carefully.


    The judge looked at him askance. ¡°Of course! What else could it have meant?¡±


    A tone from the bedroom announced an iing call. ¡°That would be a friend of mine calling. We were going to have phone sex.¡± He began to blush.


    ¡°Phone sex?¡± she said, confused.


    ¡°Hold that thought.¡± Jack walked into the bedroom and answered the call.


    ¡°OH THANK GOODNESS! I thought you were going to make me wait until the morning! I¡¯m going crazy here!¡± Leffera gushed.


    ¡°Hi Leffera! Hold that thought a minute. I have a court assigned roommate I have to confer with before we can proceed,¡± Jack said and watched her eyes go wide as Aaros walked into the camera¡¯s view. ¡°Leffera, this is Judge Aaros. Judge Aaros, this is Leffera.¡±


    They exchanged hellos and the judge turned back to Jack. ¡°How do you intend to have sex with yourmunication device?¡±


    ¡°Well, first off I don¡¯t intend to have sex with the device. We will touch ourselves while watching each other.¡±


    ¡°Ooooohhhhh Jack! You¡¯re going to be naked too!?! This is going to be better than I thought. I may have toe over there afterwards to clean you though!¡± Leffera moaned.


    ¡°Actually you can¡¯t. Long story short, my role as Queen¡¯s Consort is being legally challenged by a group of males and one of the conditions is I must abstain from sex with females until the challenge ends. 244 days from now,¡± Jack exined.


    ¡°OH MY GOD! JACK, YOU¡¯LL NEVER MAKE IT!¡± Leffera yelled in dismay.


    ¡°What the hell is it with everyone having such a low estimate of my willpower to resist sex?¡± Jack growled.


    Leffera began to cry.


    ¡°Ah, please don¡¯t cry! It¡¯s going to be ok! I swear it will,¡± Jack pleaded.

 29

    Leffera just cried harder, shook her head and the call ended.


    Jack looked at the nk screen in surprise. ¡°At this point I would normally go to her apartment and cuddle her until her tears stopped then we¡¯d make love for an hour. Or two.¡±


    The judge scented Jack and looked at him. ¡°I fear she may be right.¡±


    ¡°What? Not you too! I¡¯ve gone without sex for extended periods before,¡± heined.


    ¡°It will be easier for you to understand by experience so let¡¯s just wait to see how you feel in the morning. Is this where you sleep?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The tform is veryrge. There is room for us both,¡± she said inspecting his bed.


    ¡°WHAT?¡± he yelped.


    ¡°I must keep a close eye on you. If you leave the bed I will know. If you attempt to have sex with me you will default,¡± she said in a matter of fact tone.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Jack just looked at her. ¡°You¡¯re here to make sure I don¡¯t sneak away to have sex. So you¡¯ll have to be with me 24 hours a day, always within sight, including bathroom breaks?¡±


    ¡°If there is an alternate egress in the bathroom I will have to be inside the room to make sure you do not avail yourself of it or have a female join you through it,¡± she exined.


    ¡°OK, fine. I just think it¡¯s cruel and unusual punishment to make me sleep next to a stunningly beautiful female whose job is to ensure I¡¯m not having sex.


    She squirmed then looked sternly at him. ¡°DO NOT think of me in those terms!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just saying you¡¯re making this very hard for me,¡± he apologized.


    She mistook his meaning and nced down and saw he was in fact very hard. She froze. He caught the motion of her eyes and realized what he¡¯d said.


    ¡°No! I mean the situation, the situation is very hard,¡± he stumbled then sighed.


    ¡°Listen, I¡¯m sorry about how all this got started. I, uh, have to go take care of this. I guess my body was expecting a little excitement with Leffera tonight. I¡¯m allowed to touch myself, right?¡± he asked.


    She nodded stiffly.


    He moved towards his bathroom.


    ¡°Is there a window to the outside in that bathroom?¡± he heard over his shoulder.


    He stopped. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then I must be in the room,¡± she said with finality.


    ¡°OK. Maybe I¡¯ll take a hot shower. The steam will give me a little privacy at least.¡±


    He took his clothes off with his back to her and grabbed a pair of clean boxers for after his shower. He dumped his dirty clothes into the hamper, ced the boxers on the counter then stepped into the shower. He got the water running and saw Aaros was sitting on the toilet seat facing away. Once the water was at the temperature he needed he turned his back and washed the days sweat and dirt from his body.


    Once he was clean he turned his attention to his straining erection. It was hard as rock and he was overly aware of the beautiful Altarian sitting a short distance away. Hethered himself up and slid his hands over his cock. He wobbled on his feet and flung a hand out to catch himself. He thumped the ss of the shower with a dull thud. Jeez! He was a little more excited than he thought. A few more strokes and he achieved his release. He leaned back and let the water cascade over his head and chest washing away the suds. The edge was off and his erection subsided but there was still a background pressure, like he could easily get another erection. He pushed it from his mind and opened his eyes¡­ to see Aaros standing next to the ss. He yelped and turned his back on her.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing there?¡± he yelled.


    ¡°I- I¡¯m sorry! You looked like you were falling and- and I got up to see- if you were ok,¡± she stumbled through her exnation as she turned her back on him as well.


    ¡°When you saw I wasn¡¯t falling why didn¡¯t you go back to your seat?¡± he growled.


    ¡°I- I don¡¯t know! I¡¯m sorry! I guess I¡¯ve never seen a male do that!¡± she growled back.


    ¡°That does NOT count against me! I wasn¡¯t even aware you were there until afterwards!¡± Jack barked.


    ¡°Of course it doesn¡¯t!¡± she barked back.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to dry off now,¡± he said.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± she replied.


    ¡°You¡¯re in front of my towel,¡± he growled.


    Aaros pulled the towel from the hook and threw it on the floor next to the shower. He scowled and bent to pick it up. He dried himself quickly and snatched up his boxers and pulled them on. He was dismayed to see he was tenting them. He looked over and saw her sleek legs, delicate hands and fine features¡­


    ¡°Dammit! That¡¯s not fair!¡± he growled.


    ¡°What?¡± she said as she looked at him and noticed his condition.


    Jack opened his mouth but realized there was just nothing he could say. ¡°Never mind. I¡¯m going to bed.¡±


    They went back into the bedroom and Jack climbed into bed. He pulled the covers up over himself and turned his back on Aaros. He felt her settle gently on the bed and did his best to put her from his mind. He turned his mind to the run he was going to do the following morning. Constraining his thoughts to this he was able to calm himself enough to let sleep take him under.


    Judge Aaros wasn¡¯t so fortunate.


    When Jack woke the following morning he felt the delicious softness of a female form squeezed up against his back. His morning wood was epic and he grinned thinking of Leffera. Then it all came crashing back on him. The female currently spooning him was not only off limits she was supposed to be ensuring he didn¡¯t do this.


    ¡°Judge!¡± he barked loudly.


    She snorted on his neck as she jolted awake. She stretched sleepily, pressing her stiff nipples against his back. Then she came to her senses and realized where she was and what she was doing. She frantically pushed against Jack¡¯s broad back to get back to her side of the bed. She saw Jack was right up against the edge on his side having been pushed there by her. She was terribly embarrassed.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Jack! I had trouble falling asleepst night. I feel remarkably good this morning though! How are you?¡± she babbled nervously.


    ¡°How do you think I feel?¡± he growled and threw off the sheet. He was sticking through the fly on his boxers and she got a good view of it before he noticed and tucked himself away. ¡°It¡¯s almost time for my run. The talkative twins will be here soon.¡±


    Jack pulled his running shorts out of the drawer and took a deep breath. He gave himself a few personal mantras to settle himself. Make the best of it. You can do this! For my kids! Thatst one was the most effective.


    He dropped his boxers and stepped into his shorts. The sticized pocket to hold himself in ce was helpful but his erection was very obvious in the shorts. He pushed that from his mind and finished getting dressed.


    He walked out into the living room and Aaros followed him out. He headed into the kitchen and pulled a shake out of the fridge. Aaros looked at him curiously. ¡°This is energy food for my run. We can get breakfast afterwards,¡± he exined and quickly drank the shake. He tied his runners on and did his stretches. Soon he was feeling limber and ready to go. He pulled his music yer on his arm and put his earphones in. He pressed a button on the yer and turned to Aaros.


    ¡°Judge, say a few words to train my yer to recognize your voice.¡±


    ¡°Hello, I am Judge Aaros. I work for the Ministry of Justice,¡± she said and Jack nodded.


    ¡°OK, if you talk to me the earphones will allow your voice to override my music.¡± He looked at the clock. It was past 7AM. ¡°I¡¯m not waiting any longer. I have a schedule to keep.¡± He headed downstairs with Judge Aaros at his heels. Jack waved to the concierge and the building¡¯s security team who gave him some curious looks.


    Aaros¡¯ personal skimmer was parked on a small pad next to the front door, charging. Jack waited for her to get it started. It rose a foot off of the ground as she stood on it and gripped the controls. She spun it skillfully and faced Jack with a smile. She paused and Jack looked to see what she was seeing. The two security agents had finally arrived and they were riding their own skimmers. Jack waited for them to park them but they just gestured for him to begin. So they were going to ride too. Jack walked over and recorded their voiced on his yer as well. Then he started jogging.


    After a few minutes Jack could feel his muscles loosen and he picked up the pace from a jog to a run. He had so much energy. He realized it was sexual tension. He used that in his run and drew from it. Pretty soon he was running at a ground eating pace. When the return tone chimed in his ear he became aware of his surroundings again and realized he¡¯d lost track of his route and was deeply into unfamiliar territory. He looked back at Aaros and she pulled up beside him.


    ¡°What is wrong?¡± she asked curiously.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t¡­ paying attention¡­ to where I¡­ was running¡­ I have no¡­ idea how to¡­ get back¡­ I¡¯ve never¡­ run this far¡­ before,¡± he gasped chagrined.


    Her eyebrows rose in surprise. ¡°Follow me then.¡± She swept her skimmer in a circle and headed back. Jack ran behind her but this time his mind wasn¡¯t roaming free. His eyes took in her graceful curves and her beautiful white fur. Unconsciously he was picking up his pace as he chased the female. She nced back and was surprised to see him catching up. She took in the y of his powerful muscles and noticed the grin on his face showing his sharp white teeth. Teeth of a predator. She subconsciously started to increase her pace to escape her chaser but he just ran faster.


    Personal skimmers weren¡¯t meant to be pushed that fast for this long and the power consumption was eating into the battery quickly. Unknown to Aaros there was a fault in the power coupling of her skimmer and it began to superheat the battery.

 30

    Jack suddenly scooped Aaros into his arms right from the deck of the skimmer with a bark of wildughter. She bleated in fright as she released the controls. The skimmer elerated then suddenly veered off the trail and the battery blew explosively. The lower half of the skimmer¡¯s base shot downwards to shatter against the ground while the foot tform and controls wereunched skywards. Jack and Aaros watched the section of the skimmer that would have carried Aaros up into the sky fly in a fatal ballistic arc. Jack slowed and stopped as the foot tform crashed down onto the path up ahead. He noticed Aaros was staring at him in shock.


    He gently set her down on her hooves but she was a little wobbly so he kept a hold on her arm.


    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry. I don¡¯t know what came over me there when I was chasing you,¡± Jack said, embarrassed. ¡°Are skimmers supposed to explode like that?¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t supposed to go that fast for that long. That said it should have just run out of power not explode,¡± she answered.


    A Ministry of Security vannded beside them on the path. The two agents jumped out of the side door. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°My skimmer¡¯s battery exploded. Luckily Ambassador Danner collected me from it seconds before it did,¡± Aaros exined. Jack looked at her as that story skipped over the part about how he was chasing her and caught her.


    ¡°What happened to you two?¡± Aaros asked, changing the subject.


    The two agents looked frustrated. ¡°Our skimmers ran out of power and we couldn¡¯t keep up. We called headquarters and they dispatched the van to collect us and follow you. Looks like your run is over.¡± One of the agents remarked.


    ¡°But I still need to run back!¡± Jack barked.


    ¡°Judge Aaros doesn¡¯t have a skimmer and you mustn¡¯t be separated,¡± the agent remarked.


    Aaros nodded and Jack¡¯s shoulders slumped. He followed her into the van as the agents collected the bits of her skimmer to find out why it exploded. Once everyone and everything was in the van they flew back to his apartment in silence.


    Jack and Aaros went up to his apartment while the agent waited downstairs. Once inside Jack turned to her. ¡°Thank you for not mentioning how I was chasing you. I can¡¯t really exin why I was doing that. It just felt¡­ instinctual.¡±


    ¡°Please try to control your instincts,¡± she admonished.


    He nodded. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower.¡± She made to follow him and he abruptly stopped. ¡°You know this makes no sense. How could there be aw to keep a male from having sex yet a female judge is assigned to follow him so closely!¡± he said in frustration.


    ¡°At the time thisw was written and was practiced our society had male judges and you would have been assigned one. Back then males took a greater role in our society and were represented to some extent in almost every upation but there was a change in the ratio of males to females and society changed in reaction. Males just stopped taking on these roles,¡± Aaros exined.


    ¡°What was the ratio before the change?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I believe it was 8 to 1 and it moved to 10 to 1 over a few generations. There was some debate over the cause but the most popr theory was that it was due to a temporary change in sr radiation that altered the gics of a generation causing fewer male births. That¡¯s not really my field so I¡¯m not sure if I got that right,¡± she smiled.


    Jack proceeded into the bedroom and grabbed some tighter briefs. He needed more support with his damn constant erection.


    He did his best to put Aaros¡¯ presence out of his mind and just got ready for work. He dropped his workout clothes into the hamper and climbed into the shower. He spotted her sitting on the toilet lid again and he just got the water running. A few minutester he was clean. He skipped relieving his erection as it hadn¡¯t really helped much the day before.


    ¡°You are unable to release that pressure, aren¡¯t you,¡± she said as he passed by, tenting his tight underwear.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about that with you, please,¡± he said.


    ¡°I need to shower as well. You need to stay in here,¡± she insisted.


    Jack reached into the linen closet and brought out one of hisrger towels he kept on hand for thedies who stayed overnight. With their fur, it took more towel to dry themselves. He handed it to Aaros who had already disrobed. He sat on the toilet and looked out the bathroom door. He did his best not to imagine her naked wet body in the shower but by the time the water shut off his cock was like iron and his balls ached. He had to get control over his sex drive. Mind over matter, DAMMIT!


    When she was ready they entered the bedroom and Jack got dressed. He led her to the kitchen where he made them both breakfast. He cleaned up afterwards and they headed downstairs. They walked to the Trade Commission building as he had his morning appointments to cover, with the short interruption at 10AM. He¡¯d have to bump a few presentations around that 10AM nuisance.


    The agents once more remained outside while they went up to the office. The Judge insisted on entering the office first but he had to stand at her back. When the all-white female stood in the entrance of the office activity suddenly stopped. She had their full attention. They didn¡¯t initially notice Jack standing behind her. Jack noticed that Leffera¡¯s desk was unupied. He worried about that.


    ¡°I am Judge Aaros. I was appointed by the Ministry of Justice to ensure Earth Trade Representative Jack Danner abides by the rules of the legally filed and issued Challenge against him. If he defaults on this the penalty is permanent banishment from Altaria and all Altarian worlds. I trust we will have your full support in ensuring Jack Danner does NOT default!¡± she said firmly looking each of them in the eye.


    Me stepped forward. ¡°What is the Challenge and who filed it?¡± she said fiercely. Jack smiled.


    ¡°As Jack has been named Queen¡¯s Consort, a group of 245 males calling themselves ¡®The Enlightened Consortium of Male Altarians¡¯ or TECOMA for short, im he is unworthy of the title and has filed a Challenge of Unarmed Combat against Jack Danner.¡±


    The office erupted intoughter.


    Aaros held up her hands. ¡°Yes, we are aware that no Altarian males could possibly defeat Jack in unarmedbat. However, the Challenge has been filed in such a way that there will only be one challenger per day and there are 244 challengers left to go. An Abstinence use has been invoked which means no sexual rtions until the Challenge concludes.¡±


    Now the office erupted in cries of dismay.


    Jack held up his hands to get the staff to be quiet. ¡°Please calm down. I¡¯m fine. We will get through this. The Queen is looking into a solution to this as well. In the meantime it¡¯s business as usual. Where is Leffera?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s taking some vacation days,¡± Me said.


    ¡°Has someone updated my calendar for this morning?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I did. You have a full schedule this morning,¡± Kaluna replied with a sad expression. Then she noticed Jack was showing against the front of his pants quite a bit. Her eyes went wide then had a desperate look as she hustled over to Aaros. ¡°Um, is oral sex included in the forbidden sex?¡± she whispered to the Judge.


    ¡°Oral sex?¡± Aaros turned to Jack. ¡°Oral sex. Is that like ¡®phone sex¡¯?¡±


    Kaluna¡¯s expression brightened as she saw the Judge wasn¡¯t aware of her favorite kind of sex. ¡°Jack, may I show her?¡±


    ¡°No Kaluna, sorry.¡± Jack turned to the judge. ¡°Phone sex as I described itst night involves two people in different locations pleasuring themselves while they watch and speak to each other. Oral sex needs both participants to be in the same location and involves using your mouth on your partner¡¯s external sexual organs.¡±


    ¡°You do that?!?!¡± Aaros gasped looking at Jack.


    ¡°Incredibly well!¡± Me sighed from Aaros¡¯ side.


    ¡°And females do it in return for me,¡± Jack exined with a blush.


    ¡°Yes, that would be one of the forbidden sex activities,¡± the Judge stated, her eyes still on Jack with an odd look in them.


    Kaluna¡¯s sad expression came back.


    ¡°I have my next ¡®battle¡¯ at 10AM so I will need the appointments from that point on moved 30 minutester. Can you arrange that please?¡± he asked Kaluna, trying to ignore her despair. He turned to the group which hadn¡¯t stopped looking at him.


    ¡°Dharma!¡± he gestured for the young runner who was a recent addition to the office. She rushed up to his side and looked up at him with hero worship in her eyes. Her fur was an amazing blend of chocte and caramel coloration and Jack thought she looked delicious but he did his best to push those thoughts aside.


    Jack quickly tapped out a letter of introduction on his device and sent it to a nearby hardcopy machine. He snatched it out of the tray, folded it over, and activated the sheet¡¯s official Trade Commission seal.


    ¡°I have a very important mission for you. I need you to go to Earth and pick up an order I made at a tailor shop called Fitzhenry¡¯s. Speak with the proprietor. His name is Walter Fitzhenry. Give him this note. Tell them I also left my hoodie in their shop. They will know what that means. The order is paid for so you just need to get it and go. Contact the Ministry of Security before you head over to the Gate Terminal and tell them you need to visit the shop I went to yesterday and they are to assign you security personnel. Earth is having some issues with me and I want you to be safe. They will get you through the right Gate, to the right city, to the right shop, and back.¡±


    She nodded looking up at him then rushed off with the letter in her hand to make the call.


    ¡°Alright people! Let¡¯s get moving!¡± he said pping his hands to break their paralysis. They finally got back to their tasks with only the asional mournful looks in his direction.


    Me remained at their side. ¡°You need your hair braided,¡± she said.


    Aaros saw the small female¡¯s eyes were locked on the bulge in Jack¡¯s pants. ¡°I will do it,¡± she said taking the small strip of ribbon from Me¡¯s fingers.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Jack walked into his office and sat in his chair. Aaros walked behind him and pulled his hair free of the chair. She quickly and efficiently braided his hair and used the ribbon to tie the end.

 31

    Jack had sent Dharma on one quest to Earth for him but he had another item he needed for the banquet. This one would be beyond Dharma¡¯s ability to retrieve so he ced a rush order for it through the Embassy¡¯s courier department. It meant sending a team of runners to Earth so he informed them to get a security detail to assist. He also indicated that the item should be assembled and brought directly to the banquet hall but ced in storage there as it was to be a surprise.


    That done, Jack read the appointment log and got some background on each applicant. He was getting better at identifying in advance which products and services were a good match. He¡¯d still sit through their presentations as sometimes they introduced a spin that he hadn¡¯t considered and sometimes while listening he thought of a spin they hadn¡¯t.


    He looked at the clock and saw it was time. He looked at Aaros. ¡°I assume you will being with me so I¡¯m going to identify you to the applicants as an auditor who is reviewing my work. This will set their minds at ease as they won¡¯t feel you are judging them.¡±


    Aaros thought about that and nodded. They set off for the presentation hall.


    The meetings went well and Jack approved a few more than he¡¯d originally expected as he recognized alternate purposes for two products the vendor wasn¡¯t aware of so they were happy. Before he called in his next applicant he realized it was time to head down to the courtyard.


    As they walked to the ¡®battle¡¯ Jack pondered ways to expedite this process. ¡°You said that this challenge can be terminated early if they fail to show up at the scheduled time right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. There is some leeway for traffic issues but it cannot exceed a day,¡± the Judge answered.


    ¡°So I¡¯ve just got to convince the next contestant to not show,¡± Jack said grimly.


    ¡°You cannot interfere with the members of the challenging party,¡± she admonished.


    Jack grinned. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t think of contacting them outside of the battle.¡±


    They reached the courtyard which was normally empty aside from workers moving between the buildings and the asional casual foot traffic. Today it was packed with people. Jack recognized staff from both buildings milling around in arge circle. The press had arrived as well. All of the big channels were there. Jack noticed a few from Earth as well which he found surprising. The crowd parted and he saw the space in the center was open. It reminded him of the schoolyard fights from his childhood. He turned to the Judge.


    ¡°Am I allowed to make a statement before the fight,¡± he said quietly to her.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    He smiled.


    The crowd parted on the other side and Lunnae and another male entered the ring. There were boos and jeers from the onlookers and Jack recognized the front row of the crowd were all workers from his office. Denee was the loudest heckler.


    Jack stepped forward and held up his hands. The crowd immediately went silent. He looked for and found Narelle and nodded to her. He turned to Lunnae who was attempting to murder him with evil thoughts and res.


    ¡°Lunnae, we¡¯re here to settle a Challenge and there are 244 remainingbatants. Is this true?¡± he called out clearly.


    The male¡¯s re turned to a creepy smile as he took in the obvious state of Jack¡¯s erection. ¡°That¡¯s right! 244 more days.¡±


    ¡°So 244 males will have to face me in unarmedbat?¡± Jack asked loudly.


    Lunnae¡¯s smile began to look forced as he tried to determine where Jack was going with this. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Were you the one who initiated this Challenge?¡± Jack asked walking to the center of the open space.


    ¡°On behalf of the group, yes,¡± Lunnae called out.


    ¡°What number are you Lunnae? When will I face you, the instigator of this Challenge?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m number 245,¡± Lunnae said with a grin thinking to piss off Jack but he received augh instead.


    ¡°Coward. Hiding behind 244 males,¡± Jack threw down then looked at the cameras. ¡°I wanted no part of this barbaric activity. I want it known that this is entirely Lunnae¡¯s idea.¡±


    Narelle stepped forward. ¡°Is the challengingbatant here?¡±


    The male standing next to Lunnae stepped forward boldly with a show of bravado but Jack could see his trembling. Jack felt a little ill about what he had to do.


    ¡°State your name for the record,¡± Narelle intoned.


    ¡°I am Greggi.¡±


    ¡°Take your position.¡±


    The male strutted forward and stopped six feet away from Jack. Jack stepped forward to close the gap to two feet and stopped. Then he bent down to look into the eyes of Greggi. The male looked back at Jack and expected to see him growling or ring but Jack just looked at him sadly.


    Narelle saw they were both ready. ¡°Begin.¡±N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Forf-¡±


    CRACK!!!


    Greggi¡¯s body left the ground and sailed back tond with a thump. He didn¡¯t move.


    Jack stood up straight from his lunge and shook his head to clear the buzz from the headbutt he¡¯d delivered. He looked at the cameras. ¡°242 more of those before I meet the male responsible for this stupidity.¡± Then he walked over to Narelle.


    Judge Aaros joined him after quickly checking on Greggi and Jack whispered to her. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill him did I?¡± She heard real fear in his voice.


    ¡°No Jack. We are made of sterner stuff than that. Especially a male¡¯s head. There is nothing denser in the known universe. Greggi is unconscious and likely has a concussion but he will live,¡± she responded and saw him rx. His eyes became cold and hard as he looked at Lunnae who was standingpletely still staring down at Greggi¡¯s unconscious body.


    ¡°Same ce and time tomorrow?¡± he called out to Lunnae who just nodded unable to stop looking at Greggi.


    ¡°So noted. 10AM in the courtyard, this location, for the nextbatant,¡± Narelle said loudly. With a nod and small smile for Jack she left with her security escort.


    Lunnae suddenly seemed to notice what he¡¯d just agreed to and panic was setting in as he realized he had to convince number three on the list to step forward and he only had a day to do it. He looked over at Jack and caught the tail end of Jack¡¯s cold stare as he turned away and headed back to his office.


    ¡°All of this stupidity because of Lunnae¡¯s fragile ego!¡± Jack raged quietly. His anger was rapidly spinning out of control and his muscles shook with the need to strike out at something or someone.


    ¡°Breathe slowly Jack and calm yourself. This is just a symptom of withdrawal. It will pass,¡± Aaros whispered to him.


    ¡°Withdrawal?¡± he blurted.


    ¡°From sex,¡± she answered.


    Jack snorted and felt his rage quiet as the euphoric surge of his amusement washed over his mind. Whoa! His emotions WERE a little raw and exaggerated.


    ¡°Human¡¯s don¡¯t get withdrawal fromck of sex,¡± he exined.


    ¡°You¡¯re no longerpletely human though, are you,¡± she said looking at his horns as they rode the elevator back to the presentation room. Jack pondered that as he entered the outer hall. The room erupted in apuse from the waiting applicants. Jack and Aaros stood in surprise as they took in the cheering and grins on the faces in the room. They saw therge monitors on the wall were showing news footage of the battle in the courtyard.


    Jack saw what his attack looked like from the side in exacting detail and in slow motion. One second he was staring into the eyes of Greggi and the next he wasunching himself forward to m his horns into the forehead of the male. He seemed to transfer all forward momentum into his opponent¡¯s body as he stopped moving and Greggi lifted right off his hooves to fly back like a rag doll. Jack had to look away.


    He smiled to the crowd then went inside to pick up where he¡¯d left off.


    The rest of the morning went quickly. The applicants were all in good spirits and even those who were rejected left feeling like they¡¯d received something special for just being there.


    They finished up a littlete due to the interruption of the battle.


    The afternoon was to be spent in the Embassy and once more Judge Aaros gave her speech to the workers and Jack had to endure their cries of dismay.


    Once the office settled down Jack called Denee into his office to find out what his afternoon had scheduled. Aaros took a seat on the couch munching on a sandwich an office runner had brought in for them since they missed lunch.


    Denee sat across from Jack with her tablet in hand. ¡°Jack I just wanted to apologize once more for starting this whole mess with Lunnae.¡±


    ¡°You had no idea he¡¯d get this stupid about it but I¡¯d appreciate if you could be more discrete in the future,¡± Jack said. She gave him a lusty look thinking about future encounters. Jack¡¯s cock throbbed at her look and he found himself leaning forward, fire in his eyes. Denee¡¯s eyes widened and she bit her lip as her nostril¡¯s red.


    CRASH!


    Jack and Denee jumped and looked over at the Judge who was picking up the metal serving tray she¡¯d dropped intentionally. She scowled at them as she held her hand over her nose. She walked over to the window and opened the venttion system all the way.

 32

    ¡°Control! Jack¡¯s rapidly losing his so you need to control your reactions around him,¡± the Judge growled at Denee who looked mortified at what she¡¯d almost done. She looked back to her tablet trembling in shame.


    ¡°This afternoon, in ten minutes actually, you are meeting with an Allsa Komanae delegation and there was ast minute request from the Phem Kalos to meet. They are scheduled for 3PM. That¡¯s all. I¡¯m so sorry Jack.¡± With that the female rushed from the room.


    Jack pushed back in his chair. He was suddenly aware of how little control he had. He now saw the true danger in the trap Lunnae had drawn him into. He had almost reached across the desk and grabbed Denee. And she would have willingly participated. He shook with reaction clenching his eyes tight.


    ¡°Should we cancel your meetings this afternoon?¡± Aaros asked gently.


    ¡°NO! Sorry, no. You don¡¯t cancel with the Allsa Komanae. Too dangerous. You meet. You listen, carefully. Then you find some way to deny their request because nothing they say is what they mean. Everything they promise results in loss, ruin, and suffering. They are long-time enemies of Earth which doesn¡¯t make my job any easier as they despise Humans,¡± he exined.


    ¡°In your current state of heightened emotions is it safe for you to meet with them? Could we have someone else meet in your ce?¡± she suggested.


    ¡°I¡¯m the only one here today that¡¯s trained to speak with them. Karrel could but she¡¯s on maternity leave. It¡¯s OK, I can do this. We use the circr room for them. You¡¯ll be seated in the outer chamber, it isn¡¯t safe for you to enter. You¡¯ll have full visibility and there is only one way into the room so it doesn¡¯t break the rules. We should go. You don¡¯t make the Allsa Komanae wait either.¡± Jack got up and stiffly walked over to the door. He rolled his neck then he opened the door and headed to the meeting room.


    When they arrived he gestured for Aaros to take a seat next to the door. As she sat the wall in front of her seat became translucent. ¡°You can see in but they can¡¯t see out,¡± Jack exined.


    Inside the room were three tall and broad figures cloaked in ck cloth that disguised their bodies. They had hoods pulled far over their heads so their faces were in shadows. Jack entered the room.


    The three went still as Jack approached them. The room was circr,pletely white, and had no furniture. No distractions or ces to hide.


    ¡°Greetings. I am Altarian Ambassador Jack Danner,¡± he said and nothing else.


    ¡°A Human? The Altarians insult us by sending us a Human?¡± the one in the middle spoke. There were no distinguishing markings to identify them nor would they give their names so Jack just numbered them One, Two, and Three. Number two was the speaker in the group it seemed.


    ¡°You receive no special treatment from the Altarians. I am the Altarian Ambassador,¡± he simply stated.


    ¡°Special Treatment it calls it when in reality this is an affront, a heinous insult, a vicious attack!¡± the voice got louder and Jack started to get worried. This behavior was well outside of the scope of normal behavior for this race. They didn¡¯t raise their voices nor did they issue threats. They were far sneakier. Jack felt his own rage bubbling just beneath the surface but he held it down with all his might.


    ¡°If you have no business with the Altarians other than to scream at me then I suppose this meeting is over,¡± Jack said stiffly. Then he made a mistake. He turned his back on them.


    The middle one flung out its arm and a cord shot out and wrapped itself around Jack¡¯s neck. Had it been a normal Human neck he would have begun dying immediately from a crushed windpipe as the coil dug in and tightened.


    Jack reached back suddenly, grabbed the cord and yanked. The Allsa Komanae instinctively gripped harder for they never let anyone take anything from them. He should have let go. Instead, he was yanked forward off his feet to fly towards Jack who spun his body back to face them with his left fisting in fast. Knuckles shot into the shadowed hood and hit¡­ something¡­ which broke.


    It screamed. God how it screamed. It lost its grip on the whip and Jack pulled the handle to him. The coil hadn¡¯t loosened yet and Jack didn¡¯t want the others to get a hand on it.


    Number One and Three hadn¡¯t moved or spoken during this entire confrontation. Now they reached for Number Two and pushed it to the ground.


    Then they stomped it to death.


    Jack backed to the door and exited, sickened by what he was watching. The stomping continued as the door closed behind him. Aaros was at his elbow immediately and medical personnel were standing by. Jack inspected the handle of the whip and saw a control he recognised was the power switch. He pressed it and the coil went ck. He still needed to peel it from the skin of his neck and it left a deep indentation and bruise. That would being up as a welt soon and he just hoped it wouldn¡¯t scar.


    His voice was a little raw as he spoke to the security detail. ¡°When they are finished in there, please escort them to their Gate and off of Altaria. I will be filing a formalint.¡± The medics took images of the damage to his neck and one of the security personnel sealed the whip into an evidence bag. The meeting itself would have been recorded so he had that for theint he would file. ¡°Let¡¯s see them talk their way out of that!¡± he thought but realized they probably would considering what they were doing to his attacker.


    Jack and Aaros went back to his office and when they arrived the group took one look at his neck and came charging. Aaros imposed her body between Jack and the wailing staff and shouted them down. Jack made his way into his office and pulled Me from her hiding ce under his desk. He spanked her bum and sent her on her way. He thought he might have spanked her a little too hard but she gave him a fiery look and grin as she left his office. The door closed and he slumped back in his chair. His cock was throbbing and his head was spinning from the scent of thedies. Even injured the need was growing.


    ¡°Jack, you should cancel the next meeting. Go home. Rest. Relieve yourself if you can,¡± Aaros said gently.


    ¡°No, I just have the one meeting left and these guys should be far more rational. I have NO clue as to why that Allsa Komanae flipped out like that. I got the impression that hispanions were also surprised.¡± Jack looked at Aaros with a confused expression.


    Jack got up from his chair and walked over to hisrge couch. ¡°I have forty minutes before the next meeting. I¡¯m just going to rest my eyes for thirty of them, OK?¡± She nodded and sat in a chair to rest.


    He closed his eyes and seemingly a minuteter he felt a hand stroking his horns. He kept his eyes closed as he was really enjoying the soothing touch. It actually eased his need a little. The hand pulled away and he heard a voice.


    ¡°Jack, it is time to wake up.¡± It was Aaros. She¡¯d been stroking his horns. He opened his eyes and looked up into her smiling face. He looked at the time and saw he only had five minutes.


    ¡°Undo my braid please. It¡¯s apparently best to visit Phem Kalos with my hair free,¡± he exined.


    Aaros pulled the ribbon loose and ran her fingers through his hair to undo the braid. He caught hernguidly running her fingers through it and pulled away. ¡°We have to get moving,¡± he said brusquely as the cursed throbbing began again.


    They walked to greeting room one and entered just as the clock ticked on 3PM.


    ¡°Greetings FennLann De Jark, FennHark De Kurk, FennDurr De Dent. May I introduce Justice Aaros. She is¡­ here to keep an eye on me,¡± Jack finishedmely as he hadn¡¯t considered what to say about her.


    The Prince stepped forward with a grin. ¡°No need to exin the female¡¯s purpose. We watched thebat this morning and learned what we could of it. It is an ancientw and fascinating to see enacted! Tell me. What was that male attempting to say before you mmed into him?¡±


    ¡°He was attempting to forfeit. They filed a Challenge of unarmedbat but none will actually fight. I didn¡¯t give this one time to say the word,¡± Jack said feeling a little ill as he recalled Greggi¡¯s fright.


    ¡°It was a rather one sided battle,¡± FennLann smirked. ¡°You had a better opponent with that Allsa Komanae!¡±


    Jack¡¯s head whipped to look at the Prince.


    ¡°The news of its attack on you is all over the news! Somehow the security footage was ¡®leaked¡¯ to the press. You are a formidable opponent! Grisly way they dispatched their injuredpanion though. I can see you didn¡¯t walk away uninjured yourself.¡± FennLann was looking at Jack¡¯s neck with excitement. This was the kind of action the Prince craved. He was taking a real liking to this Ambassador and his bare knuckles approach to diplomacy. Besides, no one trusted the Allsa Komanae and seeing one taken down was a special treat. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised to hear that this story had spread across the entire Gate Network by tomorrow morning. Not to worry though. The Allsa Komanae already hate Human¡¯s for exposing their attempted genocide of the Chuuruthians. That cost them dearly.¡± The Prince was grinning widely.


    The two councillors looked like they wanted to be anywhere but here. As much as Jack enjoyed thepany of the Prince he had to be diplomatic to the two older beings as well.


    ¡°Was there something specific you wished to discuss at this meeting? I understand you already had the Asset Disclosure meeting,¡± Jack said.


    ¡°Actually I have something that might help you. When I looked up the ancientws in the Phem Kalos database I did a little reading on that Abstinence use. It has a tactical purpose. The longer the Challenged party is dyed from having sex the less control he has. As part human you have shown remarkable control but eventually it may start to show. Way back in those days the Phem Kalos weren¡¯t as friendly with the Altarians and sometimes they interfered with these Challenges.¡± The Councillors were back to looking ufortable. Likely the Prince was disclosing state secrets.N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°If the Altarian being challenged was the one the Phem Kalos were backing and if the Abstinence use was invoked we would gift them with a pouch of special herbs from Phem Kalos which have a side benefit of neutralizing the potency of Altarian female musk. This helped calm the male nullifying the tactical advantage of the Abstinence use.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to have some of those herbs, would you?¡± Jack asked.


    The Prince smiled once more. ¡°I do!¡±


    Jack waited but the Prince just smiled. ¡°And what would you like in exchange?¡±


    ¡°I want to know what the fun thing is you¡¯re nning to show me at the banquet!¡± the Prince gushed.


    Jack smiled. ¡°Ah, very clever. OK, we have a deal. In exchange for these herbs I will tell you.¡±

 33

    FennLann immediately handed Jack a white cloth bag the size of his fist. It was quite aromatic and actually smelled pretty good. ¡°Keep that in your interior pocket. Sniff it as required. Now the fun thing!¡±


    ¡°OK. On Earth there is an ancient form of unarmedbat which involves only two opponents. This was used to resolve disputes, win fortunes, and test the strength and fortitude of the warriors. In modern days it has be a sport where the victors are assigned glory and wealth.¡± The Prince was almost panting with interest and Jack had piqued the curiosity of the two councillors as well. ¡°It requires great mental discipline, strategy, stamina, and above all, strength. No blood is spilled but there is a risk of broken bones. At the Banquet I will demonstrate this ancient art.¡±


    ¡°Fark! I cannot wait!¡± FennLann blurted and Jack grinned.


    ¡°You have only to wait until tomorrow night!¡± Jack said.


    ¡°This is the best Treaty Signing yet!¡± the Prince gushed.


    ¡°Until tomorrow?¡± Jack said.


    ¡°Until tomorrow!¡± FennLann said with a smile. He turned and left, the councillors hustling to catch up with him.


    When they were alone Aaros walked up to Jack¡¯s side. ¡°You are going to demonstrate abat technique to our ancient enemy at a banquet celebrating the signing of a non-aggression treaty? You do see the conflict there, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°There are all kinds of ways to deal with aggression. With a people who are naturally aggressive you shouldn¡¯t try to suppress it. You just need to channel it in a different direction. The Phem Kalos are being bottled up. They need a safe outlet. Maybe this will help.¡±


    He pulled the white bag from his pocket and sniffed deeply. Aaros grabbed his arm. ¡°What are you doing? You don¡¯t know if that is safe to inhale!¡± she cried.


    ¡°The Prince is young, brash, aggressive, and a warrior. A liar he is not,¡± Jack said as he felt his body rxing. He began to giggle. ¡°Woo! Sniffed a little too much! That is good stuff!¡± He tucked it back into his pocket.


    Aaros looked at him critically. ¡°You¡­ do seem calmer.¡±


    Jack grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s keep this little development to ourselves, ok? Man, I can¡¯t wait to see the look on Lunnae¡¯s face tomorrow! But tonight I want to see my son!¡±


    The drive to the Queen¡¯s residence took less time than getting through the crowd of press camped out front. When they discovered it was the child¡¯s father finallying to see his son they pushed forward to get a statement. Jack stared them down then said he¡¯d speak with them after he¡¯d actually been allowed in to see the child. That put enough of them in their ce that he was able to get through with Aaros.


    Once inside he heard someone squeal his name and he quickly looked to Aaros. ¡°A friendly hug isn¡¯t considered sex, right?¡±


    ¡°Uh, that¡¯s correct,¡± she admitted.


    Jack just had time to turn and throw his arms open when Leffera leapt up against his body. He held her tight. Following Leffera was Karrel who was carrying Alex. Lastly, walking down the hall towards them was Queen Elissa with Max in her arms.


    The judge cleared her throat so Jack peeled Leffera from his chest and set her back down on her hooves.


    She looked up at him with a smile then burst into a grin. ¡°What happened?!? You look so rxed!¡± Her face suddenly dropped. ¡°Did you have sex? Are you being banished?¡± Tears pooled in her eyes and Jack stroked her cheek with his thumb.


    ¡°No! I¡¯m not banished and I haven¡¯t had sex! I told you to have more faith in me!¡± Jack grinned and Aaros looked cross at him. ¡®Later¡¯ he mouthed to her. She still scowled but nodded.


    ¡°Let me see my boys!¡± he said holding out his arms. Karrel put Alex into the crook of his left arm and Elissa put Max in the crook of his right. He sniffed their clean baby smells and nuzzled their faces and kissed their foreheads. The babies cooed and wiggled happily in his arms and tears ran down his face.


    ¡°More happy tears Jack?¡± Elissa said softly.


    He was only able to nod as he was overwhelmed by the joy he was feeling.


    Karrel noticed the mark on Jack¡¯s throat. ¡°What happened to your throat?¡±


    Aaros looked at the three females incredulously. ¡°Have you not witnessed the attack on the news?¡±


    ¡°Attack?!? We stopped watching after seeing Jack¡¯s victory in the battle this morning because there is so much spection and noise being presented by those rude people out front.¡±


    They all walked back to the living room and Elissa turned on the disy. Jack followed them in but he only had eyes for his sons. He was standing before the windows taking turns kissing each of them and nuzzling each with his nose to make them coo. He noticed there was silence in the room and looked up to see the press on the other side of the fence a hundred feet away. There was an impressive array of cameras pointing at the residence. He turned around and saw four smiling female faces and up on the big screen was an image of his back to the windows. Elissa pressed a button on the remote and the windows went opaque. The disy changed to the reporter standing on the sidewalk outside.


    ¡°Ah, that was a live feed,¡± Jack said.


    ¡°Yes, now let me find that story. What am I looking for?¡± Elissa said looking at the judge.


    ¡°Try Allsa Komanae attack,¡± Aaros said.


    Thedies gasped and moved towards Jack but Aaros stepped between them. ¡°He still has to get past the challenge.¡±


    Elissa entered the search and they all watched the footage of Jack being attacked. Except Jack. He was watching his babies sleeping in his arms. Once they finished watching Jack scented the spicy heat from the females and decided it was time to leave. Even with the herbs this was straining his resolve.


    ¡°I hate to cut my visit short but I think it¡¯s time for me to go home. I will speak with the press on the way out as I said I would. Is there anything you would like me NOT to say?¡± he asked. The women looked at each other and shook their heads.


    He gave Max to Elissa and Alex to Karrel. He gave them all a chaste hug then left with Aaros. They stopped outside the front door and the press pushed forward.


    ¡°I will answer questions then I ask that you respect the privacy of your Queen, her daughter, and her daughter¡¯s friend. This intrusive behavior is reprehensible. If you had asked for an interview once we had all been able to meet then you would have received one. Instead you act like this. We understand people want to share in the amazing news but let¡¯s be civilized please.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Jack saw embarrassed faces. He knew this wasn¡¯t their usual behavior and pointing it out seemed to do the trick. He asked Judge Aaros to select the reporters to ask their questions.


    They spent an hour answering as many questions as possible and once they indicated they were done the press began dismantling their mobile broadcast stations. Aaros and Jack caught a cab back to his ce. Jack took a whiff of the herbs and rxed back against the seats.


    When they got back to his apartment Jack wanted a shower and endured Aaros¡¯ presence once again though when she had hers his erection came back with a vengeance. The herbs were covering his condition but when it returned its progression towards bing truly debilitating was evident.


    He just had to hang on until tomorrow.


    Jack had to skip his run as Aaros still had no means to keep up with him. He went to the gym in his apartmentplex instead but had to leave halfway through his routine as the spicy heat from the watching females was too much for him. After a quick breakfast they made their way to the Trade Commission office. He had appointments in the morning scheduled around the 10AM battle and the afternoon was set aside for the Treaty Reading and Signing. While he had no responsibilities for that event he had to be there.


    Dharma hade through. Hanging behind his door were a few garment bags with the Fitzhenry emblem on it. He quickly tried on the tuxedo and it was perfect! Aaros was impressed with the tuxedo as well.


    Jack went through his morning appointments with no surprises then it was time to meet in the courtyard. Jack took a sniff of the herbs then they headed down.


    The crowd was twice as big this time around and the press was there in full force. All the mobile broadcasting equipment was lining the wall of the building, dishes pointing skywards.


    A cheer went up when Jack and Aaros arrived. A gust of spicy heat washed over Jack and he stumbled slightly as his need rocketed. He was immersed in a cloud of female excitement and sniffing the herbs wasn¡¯t holding it back. This was bad and he looked at Aaros but she had no idea what he was going through. He took a deep snort of the herbs and that got him through the crowd into the inner circle. He looked over at Narelle who gave him a surprised look and a nod. He guessed that she was expecting to see him in far worse shape. They waited and 10AM arrived and went. 10:10AM came and went as well. Narelle was getting restless and was going to make a statement about how much longer they were going to wait when they heard booing and hissing. The crowd opened and there was Lunnae¡­ and another male. Jack¡¯s rage spiked. This challenger looked frightened and confused while Lunnae looked frazzled but determined.


    Jack stepped out into the open area and red at Lunnae. The spicy scent just got denser and Jack knew breathing the herbs in this environment was futile. He was rock hard and throbbing painfully.


    ¡°LUNNAE! Did your victim not see what happened to thest one? Are you STILL hiding behind the innocent?¡± Jack yelled.

 34

    From the confused and terrified look on the face of the new male and the angry look on Lunnae¡¯s face he saw that he¡¯d guessed correctly. Thisbatant hadn¡¯t seen the previous day¡¯s battle. Lunnae had intentionally kept him in the dark to extend the Challenge another day.


    Narelle stood forward. ¡°Combatant, state your name for the record.¡±


    ¡°F-F-F-Frenn!¡±


    ¡°Take your position Frenn,¡± Narelle said pointing to the open area.


    Lunnae gave him an angry push to move out.


    Jack looked at the cameras. ¡°Witness the coward¡¯s use of the males he tricked into signing. Notice how he continues to hide behind them.¡±


    Lunnae¡¯s face was twisted with rage. Frenn looked at him with shock then turned to find Jack facing him two feet away. There was nothing but cold, sick rage in his eyes. Frenn trembled.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this isn¡¯t your fault,¡± Jack whispered to Frenn who nodded.


    ¡°Begin.¡±


    ¡°F-F-F-AAA-¡±


    CRACK!!!


    And Frenn was down, unconscious at Lunnae¡¯s hooves.


    Jack looked at the cameras again. His emotions were going out of control. His face was a mask of rage yet tears were flowing down his cheeks. ¡°241 more of THESE before the cowardly male responsible for this must answer for his arrogance?¡± Jack pointed at Lunnae who was smiling with glee at seeing Jack¡¯s dissolving control.


    While eyes were on Lunnae, Jack desperately palmed the herb packet from his pocket and held his hands before his face as if he was praying. He pressed his nose to the package and inhaled deeply three times. He slipped his hands into his pockets while he struggled to rein in his emotions. He felt the herbs calm him and his heartrate dropped. The need lessened and he opened his eyes to see Lunnae staring at him in confusion. While the sight of the male prompted feelings of rage Jack pretended to be mildly amused and walked over to Narelle who was watching him closely.


    ¡°When is the next idiocy?¡± Jack asked calmly.


    She turned to Lunnae. ¡°Same time, same ce tomorrow?¡±


    He was still staring at Jack in confusion. He nodded absent mindedly.


    ¡°So noted. 10AM in the courtyard, this location, for the nextbatant,¡± Narelle said loudly. Lunnae realized he¡¯d once more missed the opportunity to extend Jack¡¯s torture and cursed.


    ¡°See you tomorrow, Tinkles!¡± Jack said loud enough for the cameras to pick up and sauntered away.


    ¡°Why does he call me that?¡± Lunnae screamed at Narelle who looked back at the male with ill-disguised contempt.


    Me, who had been cheering Jack from the front row overheard this and chimed in. ¡°Oh! Jack told me what that word means! To ¡®tinkle¡¯ is to release urine in a slow stream. Maybe Jack calls you that because he expects you to tinkle uncontrobly when you have to face him directly.¡±


    Lunnae screamed in rage and fled from the courtyard with no regard to his fallenpatriot. Medics tended to the fallen male.


    Inside his office Jack was lying on his couch with his eyes closed as his body shook uncontrobly. Aaros had already informed Kaluna to reschedule the rest of his morning appointments to the following day.


    ¡°Jack? Jack can you hear me?¡± she said leaning over him.


    ¡°Aaros¡­ can you rub my horns again? It calms me. It¡¯s just afort thing. Please,¡± he pleaded.


    She froze with embarrassment. She thought she¡¯d gotten away with that touch earlier as he¡¯d been asleep. Obviously he¡¯d been awake. Her fingers reached out and stroked his horns. She saw his brow rx and as she continued his shoulders dropped. His hands unclenched and she watched his body rx one muscle group at a time. Soon he was snoring lightly. Remarkable what a gentle touch can do. It soothed the savage beast. She smiled at the thought.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    A head poked in the doorway and Aaros walked over to find out what they wanted. It was Denee.


    ¡°I heard Jack¡¯s appointments had been rescheduled. I just wanted to make sure that he knew he should be at the Embassy¡¯s main hall at 2PM. The ceremonysts three hours. Then he should get dressed for the banquet which begins at 6PM and runs until midnight,¡± she exined.


    ¡°We will be there,¡± Aaros replied.


    She closed the office door almost all the way then went back to sit on the chair next to the couch. She watched Jack sleep and kept an eye on the clock.


    The ceremony for the signing of the Treaty of Non-Aggression between the Altarians and the Phem Kalos was excruciatingly dull. Jack blessed Aaros for letting him sleep before they had to attend. The reading went on for a very long time and the signing took even longer but eventually it was done and all the pictures the press wanted had been taken. The Queen looked lovely but Jack did his best to keep his eyes directed elsewhere as looking at her triggered his need too much. She picked up on this quickly and stayed clear.


    As the Phem Kalos left the hall Prince FennLann caught Jack¡¯s eye and grinned. That young being was excited beyond measure and Jack just had to grin back. The two councillors on the other hand were both very tense and stiff. By this point Jack was positive that they were up to something but he didn¡¯t know what.


    Aaros and Jack went back to his office and Jack put on his tuxedo as directed by Walter Fitzhenry. Jack left the cor open on his shirt and let the untied bow tiey against hispels. He tucked the white fabric bag of herbs into his outer breast pocket and it looked like a handkerchief.


    They walked over to the banquet hall of the Embassy and got some fruit juice while they waited for the Queen and the Phem Kalos to arrive. He recalled there was going to be a special guest from the Phem Kalos.


    The Queen arrived and was announced with much fanfare. She was wearing a glittering gown and looked incredible. Jack looked away as he throbbed painfully. It was getting more and more difficult maintaining his calm. Luckily his tuxedo was ck and hid his erection quite well.


    There was amotion by the entrance and they watched at the Phem Kalos councillors were introduced. The Prince was then introduced and Jack saw him craning his neck looking for him. Jack held up his hand and the Prince smiled broadly. He stayed on the step and took over the task of introducing as he held out his hand.


    Princess SennLann Du Kess. Jack stood transfixed as a sleek ck furred female Phem Kalos darted out of the hallway to cling to FennLann¡¯s side. She acted totally intimidated by her surroundings like she hadn¡¯t been prepared at all. The physical difference between the males and females was dramatic. Where males were all bulky muscles and rigid stances, females were lithe and svelte. She seemed to flow more than move. Definitely feline qualities with the wide Phem Kalos mobile ears except hers were tufted and had more fluidity in their motion as well. Where males hadrge fangs and jagged teeth females had smaller versions. Large almond shaped gold eyes which were currently darting everywhere as if she¡¯d never been outside of her room which Jack suddenly realized may actually be the case.


    ¡°This is the first time a female has been allowed off their in centuries! Did they tell you what the asion was?¡± Aaros asked him.


    ¡°No, there was no exnation at all and the Prince mention it was ast minute inclusion,¡± Jack said.


    ¡°That is exceptionally odd because they are normally so protective of their females,¡± Aaros replied.


    FennLann was walking over to them with his cousin still clinging to his arm but her eyes were still going everywhere. Her nose was a small ck buttonpared to the broad, t bar of her cousin¡¯s but hers was constantly twitching. As they got closer her gold eyes locked onto Jack and her gaze was so intense it felt like a physical blow.


    ¡°Jack!¡± she blurted, her voice deep and throaty.


    Jack¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. He smiled as FennLann grinned at him.


    ¡°Princess SennLann Du Kess, it is an honor to meet you,¡± Jack said.


    ¡°You are Jack who faces the Challenge and defeats the Allsa Komanae and loves his babies!¡± she purred, eyes locked on his.


    Jack¡¯s eyebrows raised and FennLann finally let him in on the secret.


    ¡°SennLann has been watching the media coverage from her room. You seem to be in it a lot,¡± the male exined.


    Jack nodded to the female. ¡°Yes. I am that Jack. Jack Danner, Altarian Ambassador, Earth¡¯s Trade Representative to Altaria¡­ and consort to the Queen but thatst one is under dispute.¡±


    ¡°Are you wed to the Queen?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No, Altarians don¡¯t marry or form long term rtionships,¡± Jack exined.


    She shed Jack a quick smile then her eyes snapped up to his horns. She suddenly reached up and ran her finger pads over their smooth ebony surface. She ran one finger over the silver streak.


    ¡°They are beautiful! What is this metal embedded in them?¡± she asked curiously.


    ¡°It¡¯s silver. From a bullet,¡± Jack said softly, trapped in her gaze.


    FennLann¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°That sounds like a wonderful story-¡±


    Chimes rang announcing dinner was beginning and people should find their seats. FennLann frowned. ¡°We must go to our seats. We will find you afterwards?¡± the Prince asked as he pulled his cousin away from Jack¡¯s horns.


    Jack nodded and Aaros led them to their own seats. There were speeches and more speeches then the food began to actually move into the room. Jack was famished as he¡¯d missed lunch so he was so looking forward to eating something. He noticed amotion at the head table and FennLann was waving to him toe up. Jack looked at his te mournfully then got up and walked to the head table. He bowed to the Queen and a rush of spicy heat washed over him as she took in his tuxedo. Jack¡¯s mind swam in the musk until Aaros led him over to the Prince. Jack¡¯s mind cleared though his pants felt exceptionally tight. He saw FennHark De Kurk gesturing angrily at the Prince who was doing his best to ignore his Councillor.


    ¡°I have spoken to the Queen regarding a sacred tradition of the Phem Kalos which to date has never been included in a Treaty Signing Ceremony. To make Phem Kalos ceremonies binding we share the meat of the first dish. As you know Altarians cannot abide the ingestion of meat but I understand Human¡¯s do. As an official Altarian representative if you were to share in this tradition with us today¡¯s ceremony would be that much more binding. Perhaps the most binding yet.¡±

 35

    Jack looked over at the Queen and her smile was brilliant. He looked at Aaros and she was looking at the Prince¡¯s te with more than a little unease. He turned to the Prince.


    ¡°I would be honored to share the meat with you!¡± Jack replied.


    The Prince¡¯s smile was huge! FennHark made one more attempt to interfere and FennLann snarled at him. FennHark shut up but he looked gloomy.


    The te contained a b of red meat cooked so the center was bloody. Not Jack¡¯s favorite but for the sake of ceremony he¡¯d give it a go.


    The Prince cut arge piece off and picked it up in his fingers. He tore a piece off with his teeth, chewed it and swallowed it quickly. He handed the chunk to Jack who tore a piece off and chewed it. When he swallowed it the Prince howled so Jack joined in. When they finished they smiled at each other and the Prince turned to Queen Elissa and bowed deeply. It was the most profound disy of respect the Phem Kalos had ever made to the Altarians. Jack was picking up the scent of the Queen¡¯s regard for him again and he began to ache with need.


    He looked away from the Queen and his eyes were trapped by gold ones. They seemed to be looking into his soul. She saw the meat in his fingers and he reached forward to offer it to her. She leaned forward and ate the meat directly from his fingers. As her lips kissed his fingertips his need rocketed and he felt a rumbling in his chest as he growled. He pulled his hand back and saw the Princess had a faint smile on her lips as she chewed the meat. FennLann was grinning as he watched his cousin and Jack. Another chime rang and Aaros led Jack back to his seat. Gold eyes followed him the entire way.


    ¡°Jack! Use the herbs!¡± Aaros hissed to him.


    He blinked and reached to his pocket. He held it to his nose and breathed in deeply. He repeated this two more times and tucked it back into his pocket as he held his breath. He felt his heartrate slow and his mind was clearing. The ache eased but didn¡¯t go away. There had been just too much stimtion. He needed time and fresh air with no female musk.


    Jack looked down and saw his te had been cleared. The second course was in front of him and it was a vegetable he wasn¡¯t able to digest so he had to pass. All he¡¯d had to eat was the small bite of rare meat. He felt his stomach question what it had just received. It hadn¡¯t seen meat in a very long time.


    The rest of the dinner flowed by and Aaros spoke with the waiter to bring Jack something substantial as he seemed a little wobbly. The kitchen staff snuck a sandwich out of the kitchen loaded with a variety of veggies and a thickyer of a protein rich spread Jack liked. He smiled gratefully at Aaros and practically inhaled the sandwich. He felt so much better afterwards.


    The desserts came out signalling the end of the meal and Jack was about to eat his when he was gged down once more by the Prince. He went up to the head table, once more bowing to the Queen then walked over to the Prince.


    ¡°This dessert is a rare treat from our. Please try one.¡± FennLann offered a te with a number of small pastries with a meaty center. Jack popped one in his mouth and bit down. The center was a little squishy but it had a delicious nutty vor. He caught on pretty quickly that the squishy part was some form of insectrvae but he¡¯d eaten more outrageous things when he was learning wilderness survival techniques during his stint as a forest ranger back on Earth. He also knew that the insectrvae wouldn¡¯t have been allowed through the Gate onto Altaria if it hadn¡¯t been biologically safe for the environment.


    ¡°Delicious! Is thervae only avable for limited time?¡± Jack asked.


    Aaros looked a little ill and gaped at Jack.


    FennLannughed at Aaros¡¯ look of dismay and pointed at Jack. ¡°I knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to shock you!¡±


    Jack smiled and looked into gold eyes once more. The Princess was holding out a light little puff pastry, one of the Altarian desserts. She had that little smile on her lips again. Jack leaned forward and she slipped the morsel into his mouth. She left her fingers between his lips so he gently kissed her finger pads as he pulled back. Her eyes glowed and she licked her lips as she pulled her hand back.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    He headed back to his table with Aaros and pulled the packet of herbs out again. He inhaled deeply but it wasn¡¯t helping.


    ¡°Aaros, the herbs¡­ they¡¯re bing less effective. There¡¯s too much-¡±


    The final chime sounded and people got up from their table and began to mingle.


    Aaros looked at him with concern. Surrounding Jack with admiring Altarian females was going to be problematic. It was too early in the event for him to make a graceful exit too. Maybe she could get him out to the balcony where he could get some fresh air.


    Jack¡¯s eyes spotted the Prince¡¯s Councillors make a beeline to the bar. He hadn¡¯t pictured them as the type to drink.


    The Prince and his cousin approached his table as he and Aaros stood up. SennLann was no longer clinging to her cousin and now he could really see thenguid fluidity of her walk. Mesmerizing!


    Queen Elissa walked over with them and gave Jack a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek before she moved on to another group requiring her attention. Jack felt flushed so he fished the little bag of herbs out of his pocket and took some deep sniffs. He felt a small hand on his and opened his eyes to see wide gold eyes staring at the little white bag. Her nose was twitching madly and she was licking her lips in little darting motions. She tugged at the bag but Jack didn¡¯t let go as his head was still swimming from the Queen¡¯s musk. SennLann¡¯s sharp nail cut a small hole in the pouch causing some leaves to spill out and fall. She scrambled and caught them.


    Jack watched in surprise as she rubbed them on her face under her nose and she quickly nibbled at a few. She snorted cutely and her eyes began to shine again. She grinned at Jack.


    Jack was going to ask her what the herbs did for her but FennHark arrived with a tray of wine sses with white wine. He handed one to FennLann and one to SennLann. Then he held the tray while FennDurr and Jack took a ss. Aaros abstained as she was on duty. The Councillor took one and set the tray with the remaining ss on a nearby table.


    FennHark then offered a toast but Jack¡¯s eyes were drawn back to the Princess as he noticed she had some leaves stuck to her upper lip. Automatically he reached over to brush them off. Onended in her wine which immediately turned ck. Jack went still.


    In the background FennHark was struggling to get their attention back to his toast but Jack¡¯s buzzing mind drowned him out. He still had the packet in his hand so he dropped a leaf into his own wine but nothing happened. He sniffed his wine and it smelled normal. He took a sip and it tasted fine.


    FennHark blustered to the end of his toast and Jack saw the Princess lifting her ss. Without thinking he reached out and plucked the ss from her fingers. She froze with wide eyes as he handed her his ss. Her eyes red and she smiled that sexy little smile at him. She epted the ss and took a sip. Jack looked at the Councillor who stared back expressionless but the muscles in his jaw were jumping.


    FennLann was watching Jack with a serious expression. He hadn¡¯t taken a sip from his ss yet. Jack set the suspect ss down on the tray. Then he reached over and dropped a leaf in the Prince¡¯s ss. Nothing happened. Jack felt his shoulder muscles rx. Curious. When he looked back the Councillors were walking away and the ss with the ck wine was gone as well.


    ¡°Jack? What¡¯s going on?¡± Aaros asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The Princess¡¯ wine reacted strangely to the herbs. Hers was the only one which did.¡± He looked at the Prince questioningly but the young Phem Kalos was watching the backs of his retreating councillors with wide eyes. He looked back at Jack.


    FennLann¡¯s face then split into a wide grin. ¡°The Fun Thing!¡± he gushed. ¡°It¡¯s time!¡±


    Jack grinned in return though he still felt a little uneasy.


    ¡°Perhaps we could get some fresh air first,¡± Aaros stressed knowing Jack was struggling.


    He looked at her with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s an excellent idea! Let¡¯s head out to the balcony!¡±


    The Prince frowned but Jack leaned in to whisper. ¡°That¡¯s where the fun thing is.¡± The young warrior immediately brightened up and practically dragged their group outside. SennLann slid up next to Jack and took his arm. She looked up at him with a smile and once more he was lost in her intense gaze. Then they were outside and the fresh cool air washed the haze from Jack¡¯s brain. A few other couples were there and a small group of officials discussing something dull. In a corner was his surprise covered by a sheet.


    The Prince made for it and was about to pull the cover off when Jackid a hand on his arm.


    ¡°First things first,¡± Jack said. The Prince looked at the covered object with frustration but nodded.


    ¡°Thebat technique I am about to demonstrate to you is ancient on my. Two opponents meet in a very controlled environment to eliminate outside variables and pit their will and strength against each other. As I mentioned, it is a bloodless battle but there are dangers. Done incorrectly, pitted against unbnced forces, it is not unknown for bones to break. Technique is extremely important and skill must be built up over time to perfect your battles. Jack pulled back the cover on the table and breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the Embassy Couriers got his order right.


    It was a tall table with four bright red foam pads bolted to the top and the two red hand grip dowels bolted at opposite edges.


    FennLann, SennLann and Aaros all went still with confusion looking at the odd cement of the objects on the table surface. The Prince was especially confused. ¡°This¡­ seems rather anticlimactic.¡±

 36

    Jackughed then held up his hands. ¡°It¡¯s just the arena. Each of these has a function but the arena is kept simple for a very good reason. This is an arm wrestling table.¡±


    Jack took his tuxedo jacket off and with a smile he put it around SennLann¡¯s shoulders as she looked just a little chilly. Her eyes red once more and he felt the heat in their gaze.


    The Prince¡¯s ears perked up with the word ¡®wrestling¡¯ as Jack had expected. ¡°Do as I do,¡± Jack said as he stood on one side of the table. He took a grip on the dowel with his left hand and ced his right elbow on the square pad on the table, his arm pointed up and hand ready to sp his opponent¡¯s hand.


    FennLann¡¯s face split into a grin as he caught on to how this worked.


    ¡°OK, just to get started here are a few simple rules. Your left hand must remain on the dowel. Your right elbow has to remain on the pad at all times. You cannot touch your hand with your body during the match. Push your opponents arm down to touch the touch pad to win. Matches begin when the referee says go. Oh! And no ws!¡± Jack added as he realized the Phem Kalos were armed with deadly retractable finger hooks.


    He showed FennLann how to grip palm to palm then they were ready. A crowd was gathering but they ignored it.


    ¡°Jack, you exined to me earlier that these battles were used to win fortunes. Care to ce a wager on this match?¡± FennLann smiled craftily. Jack had been expecting that.


    ¡°It¡¯s our first match. We don¡¯t know howpatible our muscture is. Maybe we should wait for our second match,¡± Jack reasoned.


    ¡°But the first match is the one with the most potential. It must be the first match!¡± he said excitedly.


    Jack grinned at his enthusiasm. ¡°Fine! What did you have in mind?¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°If I win I want this table and more lessons on winning techniques! Should you pull off a miracle and defeat me you may have this amulet.¡± FennLann pulled a ne from his shirt and Jack saw an amulet on it with some kind of family crest. Jack had already nned on giving the table to the young warrior so it wasn¡¯t a loss to him but he was uneasy about taking a family heirloom. He couldn¡¯t throw the match.


    Jack didn¡¯t see SennLann go still when her cousin offered him the amulet.


    ¡°Well¡­ Human?¡± FennLann grinned. Jack nodded.


    Jack exined how to referee the match to Aaros who then put her hand on top of their tight grip. On ¡®Go¡¯ she lifted her hand and jumped back. Jack immediately went on the defensive as the Prince surged forward. Jack grimaced and stared into the smiling eyes of the Prince.


    Jack detected the Prince was pushing in pulses, maybe it was technique or maybe it was how Phem Kalos muscles worked, in bursts. Jack built up his energy and waited for a trough in the pulses from the Prince¡¯s arm. With a grunt he attacked and the Prince snorted as his arm was pushed back a little. Jack built up once more and surged. They were back to their starting position. The smile was gone from the Prince¡¯s eye. A look of determination reced it and he struggled to find Jack¡¯s technique. Jack poured on the energy and roared as he pushed FennLann¡¯s arm closer and closer to the touch pad. Then it was down. Aaros tapped the table to indicate a win. The crowd roared. FennLann smiled and shook Jack¡¯s hand.


    ¡°You are a worthy opponent!¡± the Prince said. He walked around the table and took the ne from his neck and ced it over Jack¡¯s head. He then surprised Jack by pulling him into a tight hug. ¡°Take good care of her Jack. She is precious to me!¡± FennLann whispered into Jack¡¯s ear.


    FennHark and FennDurr roughly pushed through the crowd eliciting shouts of outrage from the Altarian guests.


    ¡°WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?¡± FennHark raged.


    ¡°I havepleted the Phem Kalos bonding ceremony. Jack Danner has shared his food, drink and his warmth with the Princess. Now he has defeated her guardian inbat. She is his. It is Law.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?¡± Jack and Aaros yelled. The nearby guests also gasped in shock and a buzz spread back through the gathered crowd.


    ¡°Impudent pup! You meddle with things you have no experience or right to deal with,¡± FennDurr growled at the Prince.


    ¡°Better she lives on Altaria with an honorable being than die a puppet in your bid to start a new war between our peoples,¡± the Prince growled back.


    At the look of shock on the Councillor¡¯s faces FennLann dropped the overeager warrior act and a look of cold cunning slipped onto his features. ¡°I¡¯ve been aware of your plotting since the outset but I didn¡¯t know how you nned on doing it. Bringing one of our most precious resources to Altaria threw me off track as the thought of harming a female was so far outside of my ability to conceive. When Jack prevented SennLann¡¯s poisoning it was the final push for my mind to ept how monstrous my uncles had be. How thirsty you are for the blood of a war that no one wants. No one but you ancient fossils.¡±


    FennDurr roared and rushed at FennLann. FennHark went for SennLann thinking he could still salvage their bid to start a war if the Princess was killed on the enemy¡¯s world.


    Jack plowed into him from the side knocking him away from SennLann and the two rolled onto the floor. They grappled and FennHark rolled onto his back with Jack on his chest. He had his left arm around Jack¡¯s chest with his ws dug into his shoulder. His right hand had a knife and he was trying to pull his arm down to drive it into Jack¡¯s chest. Jack had a grip on the arm but he was weakening.


    Jack desperately tried to headbutt FennHark but instead heard a sickening wet thunk as the point of his horn drove through the Councillor¡¯s eye into his brain. FennHark stiffened and twitched then went ck. Jack pulled free and shook himself.


    He looked to where FennDurr was beating FennLann against the balcony edge. The next moment Jack was charging full out. At thest moment FennLann saw Jack and dropped himself to the floor. FennDurr spun in ce. Jack crashed into the big warrior¡¯s chest who flew backwards and up. His legs caught the balcony edge but his heavy torso pulled him over the top. FennLann grappled Jack¡¯s legs to keep him from following.


    Secondster there was a loud crash as FennDurr¡¯s bodynded atop a press truck.


    Jack sank to his butt panting and shaking with reaction. He leaned back against the wall and looked over at FennLann who was battered, bruised, and bleeding but alive and smiling back at Jack. ¡°You are a very worthy opponent but a better friend I think!¡±


    Jack smiled then a ck furred Phem Kalos female was on hisp clinging to him. She grabbed his face and kissed him. Her clever tongue darted into his mouth and tangled with his and his need exploded. Rational thought washed away as he kissed her deeply and ran his hands over her sleek form. She purred as his hands touched her and she dragged him to the floor. She ground herself against him and he felt like he might pass out from how good that felt. He felt his cock pulled free of his pants then the indescribable bliss of it slipping into the hot velvet depths of a female. SennLann rode him hard and fast, undting her body like a whip as she panted and moaned against his neck. Jack was so over primed he didn¡¯tst long but neither did she. He erupted into her and the need broke. That pressure, the unending ache, was gone. He felt a satisfaction like he¡¯d never had before. His mind cleared and he floated on the bliss.


    Then hands were pulling them apart. That was WRONG! He NEEDED her! His eyes snapped open and he looked at the tragic expression on Aaros¡¯ face.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Jack! She got to you before we could stop her. She was ovee with emotion. Oh Jack. I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Aaros cried.


    Then reality reared its ugly head and kicked him in the teeth. The Challenge. The Abstinence use. Banishment. He sat up and saw SennLann was being held back by her cousin who looked like he was in a lot of pain. Jack noticed he was still showing so he tucked himself back into his pants. He stood up and wobbled but hands steadied him.


    ¡°Jack. She must go with you. It is our way,¡± the Prince said quietly.


    Jack looked into her desperate gold eyes and felt his heart being pulled in multiple directions. He nodded and held out his arm. She was instantly against him and he felt the rumble of her purr.


    He looked at Aaros. ¡°How does this work? Am I kicked off the immediately? Can I go home and pack?¡±


    ¡°We go back to your apartment and get some rest. Tomorrow at 10AM we will meet yourbatant and I will notify him that you have defaulted. You will then be taken to the Gate and sent away. You take nothing with you but the clothes on your back.¡±


    ¡°Ah. OK. Well, do you suppose I might be wee on Phem Kalos?¡± Jack asked the Prince.


    ¡°You are wee in my heart but as you have killed a Councillor¡­¡± The Prince was looking at FennHark but paused to look over the balcony edge to see FennDurr impaled on some jagged metal below, quite dead. ¡°¡­ two Councillors, you would not be wee on the. Also, SennLann must never again set foot on Phem Kalos soil. Were she to return she would be executed for having sex outside our species. These are both ancient and stupidws I am powerless to change.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Well. That¡¯s going to make my choice of destination more difficult. I¡¯m not exactly wee on Earth either,¡± he sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it tomorrow. Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Jack woke with the strangest sensation. A tickling, scratching sensation on his balls and his cock was standing to attention as was its normal morning routine. He looked to his right and saw Aaros¡¯ back as she slept on her side of the bed.


    He carefully lifted the sheets and he saw golden eyes looking up at him. He gestured for SennLann to climb up and she did, eyes on his, dragging her body slowly up his, rubbing against his cock the entire way. He sucked in his breath as his eyes closed with the wonderful sensation. Then he felt her lips on his and her tongue darted into his mouth. He sucked on it and she moaned and squirmed against his body. God! She moved like she had no bones!

 37

    Jack grabbed her hips which were grinding her mound against his cock.


    ¡°Jack. Please wait until I¡¯ve left the room.¡±


    He broke from his kiss to look over at Aaros who was climbing from the bed to leave. She slipped her gown on, left the room and closed the door. He understood she no longer considered him a risk as he¡¯d defaulted.


    He looked back into the golden eyes of SennLann and rolled her onto her back. He guided his cock to her opening and found that she was already wet with excitement. He eased himself in and her eyes closed to slits as her purring increased. He reached bottom and her eyes shot open as he bumped into the inner wall. He drew back and pushed forward again and she pulled him down into a kiss. He flexed his hips and increased his pace. She felt so smooth and hot!


    Her ankles hooked over his ass as she drew him in harder and faster until he was hammering her against the mattress and she yowled signaling her release. Jack found his as well and fired stream after stream into her receptive body.


    As they panted and slowly came back to reality he looked down at her as her eyes opened and she smiled at him. Jack rolled off onto his back and SennLann rolled up onto his chest.


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant,¡± she said.


    Jack¡¯s eyes widened and he froze in shock.


    SennLann smiled. ¡°It isn¡¯t yours. It¡¯s my cousin¡¯s. We had a moment at the hotel when the Councillors were off plotting my death.¡±


    ¡°Does he know?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That exins why he wanted you protected but couldn¡¯t he have taken you home?¡± Jack asked, confused.


    ¡°There are ancientws that forbid what we did. I would have been put to death once the pregnancy was discovered. With you I¡¯m safe,¡± she exined.


    ¡°I doubt anyone would believe the baby is mine and it¡¯s going to be born pure Phem Kalos. They will know then. Won¡¯t FennLann be in trouble?¡±


    She smiled at him again. ¡°Males do not get ¡®in trouble¡¯. Females bear the brunt of the crimes. As I am with you I no longer exist for the Phem Kalos so I no longer matter.¡±


    Jack frowned. He didn¡¯t like the Phem Kalos legal system. He had a thought. ¡°Will FennLanne to see his child?¡±


    ¡°Yes! We are in love! Now we can be together! When he visits Altaria there is no penalty for him to be with the female that does not exist,¡± she purred happily.


    ¡°Will your child exist ording to Phem Kalos?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°If it is male, yes.¡±


    More brooding. Jack finally pushed the thoughts from his mind. He had to get the day moving. He had a world to be banished from. He had to see if SennLann was going to be able to stay without him.


    He took a shower and tied his hair back with the rubber band on his dresser. Aaros was eating breakfast with SennLann. The Altarian looked sad and the Phem Kalos was purring happily into her bowl of protein blocks.


    ¡°SennLann is not subject to the same banishment rule as I am, correct?¡± he asked the Judge.


    ¡°No, she may stay. It¡¯s likely the Queen will take care of that at least. I- I¡¯m sorry for failing you Jack,¡± she said.


    ¡°Aaros, you were never responsible for preventing me from breaking the rule. You were just there to record if I did. You went above and beyond so many times for me. Please don¡¯t feel bad about this!¡±


    Jack ate his breakfast and they made their way to the office. SennLann came along as they would need to make arrangements for her at the banishment ceremony.


    Jack gave his staff in the Trade Commissioners office hugs and this time Me didn¡¯t try anything cheeky or lewd. He knew she was really upset.


    10AM arrived and the courtyard was a madhouse. Every media outlet was represented and several from Earth were front and center as well.


    Lunnae had arrived early and this time he was by himself. From the smug look on his face he knew all about Jack¡¯s interlude with SennLann the previous evening. Apparently it had been all over the news¡­ censored in some markets.


    The crowd parted with murmurs of sadness as Jack walked through their midst. Soon he was in the open center facing Lunnae, Narelle and Queen Elissa. He hadn¡¯t expected to see her there. She wore a serene smile which considering she was the Queen made sense. She had to keep her head at times like these.


    Narelle stepped forward. ¡°Is the challengingbatant here?¡±


    This time Lunnae walked out into the middle of the open space and stopped ten feet from Jack. ¡°I am!¡± he shouted and sneered at Jack. Cocky bastard.


    Aaros looked sadly at Jack and he nodded. She stepped forward. ¡°I am Judge Aaros. I am here to report the defaulting of the Abstinence use imposed upon the Challenged, Jack Danner.¡±


    There was a grumbling from the crowd.


    Narelle held up her hands and the crowd settled. Lunnae beamed with happiness and satisfaction.


    ¡°How many times did Jack Danner default?¡± Narelle asked.


    Aaros choked with guilt. ¡°T- Twice.¡±


    There was a louder murmur as some mistook her guilt for confession. Jack held up two fingers and pointed to SennLann who was still standing beside him. The crowd began to chuckle. Jack whispered to SennLann and she walked over to stand next to the Queen. She looked back sadly at him but he just smiled.


    ¡°So, as Jack Danner has just signified so delicately, both asions were with the Phem Kalos female?¡± Narelle confirmed.


    Lunnae was getting impatient. He smiled at the cameras waiting to hear the banishment order.


    ¡°That is correct. The only female he has had sexual activity with is the Phem Kalos,¡± Aaros confirmed.


    ¡°Then ording to the text of the original transcript of the Abstinence use¡­ he has not defaulted,¡± Narelle intoned loudly.


    Lunnae¡¯s expression froze.


    Jack¡¯s expression froze.


    ¡°The original hardcopy legal document was requested by Queen Elissa from the National Archives. It was found, retrieved, and reads as follows: The Challenged must remain within the Altarian territories controlled by the disputed Altarian female and refrain from sexual congress with any Altarian females. Should the Challenged have rtions of a sexual nature with any Altarian females, the Challenged will default and forfeit.¡±


    Narelle looked up from her tablet. ¡°As the original hardcopy of thew exists it must be treated as the basis of thew and as such must be followed to the letter. As ¡®the Challenged¡¯ hasn¡¯t had sexual congress with an Altarian female he has not defaulted. The Challenge continues.¡±


    Jack walked a little closer to Lunnae whose face said it all. Rapidly. He was enraged. He was terrified. He was enraged. Jack smiled.


    ¡°You can say the word if you like. I don¡¯t need to knock you off your hooves,¡± Jack said graciously.


    That¡¯s when Lunnae pulled the gun from his robe.


    Nobody moved. Lunnae was too far from anyone to be rushed. Jack was closest and he was looking down the barrel of thergest handgun he¡¯d ever seen. It didn¡¯t look real which may have been why he wasn¡¯t terrified. Lunnae held the weapon awkwardly in both hands, the barrel wavering around but generally aimed at his chest.


    The crowd behind Jack scattered to avoid being in the line of sight of the weapon.


    ¡°That¡¯s a Human gun,¡± Jack stated.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, you have many enemies Jack,¡± Lunnae growled. ¡°They contacted me and dly supplied me with the means to dispose of a monster like you. Silver bullets!¡±


    ¡°So Officer Haven survived?¡± Jack nodded.


    ¡°Yes, he provided the ammunition and Officer Truman provided the weapon you see before you. I do not know what you did to them but we are kindred spirits in that we see the inherent evil in you. Evil that must be eliminated!¡±


    Jack winced and scratched at the back of his head. ¡°Did Haven and Truman show you how to fire that weapon? It isn¡¯t exactly designed for an Altarian grip. The hammer thing at the top, don¡¯t put your finger near that as it will bite a chunk out of you. Also keep your fingers away from the spaces around the firing chamber as hot gases shoot out of there. Hold it from underneath.¡±


    ¡°Why are you speaking to me like I¡¯m some kind of mental ipetent? Do you not see I am pointing this weapon at you? Do you not see your imminent death?¡± Lunnae gasped.


    ¡°Sure but the way you¡¯re holding it you might lose control of it and hurt someone else. I mean you¡¯re not even squinting one eye and looking down the site with the other eye like you¡¯re supposed to,¡± Jackined.


    Outraged, Lunnae closed one eye and lifted the weapon to sight down the barrel.


    The thick blue rubber band snapped into his open eye dead center and Lunnae jerked back in pain.


    The gun went off with a huge boom.


    Jack¡¯s head snapped back and he left his feet.


    Unprepared, recoil sent the gun back into Lunnae¡¯s face the hammer stabbing deeply into his closed eye. As he screamed he lost his grip on the gun and it fell to the ground. With one eye stinging from the rubber band and the other one punctured by the gun, Lunnae didn¡¯t see the ebony security agents until they mmed him face first to the ground. Then he was out.


    Chaos exploded in the courtyard but Jack saw none of it.

 38

    Jack was surprised to smell the sweet spice of an Altarian female in heat. He was surprised to smell anything. There was a dull ringing in his head but outside of that he felt¡­ alive. He cracked his eyelids and found himself looking into the smiling eyes of Queen Elissa.


    ¡°Oh good, you¡¯re awake! I didn¡¯t want to have to use this while you were unconscious,¡± she said giving his stiff cock a squeeze.


    Before he could say anything she climbed onto the bed and straddled him. She ground her mound across his shaft a few times then positioned herself to take him inside. She was dripping with excitement so as she eased herself on he grabbed her hips and pushed her down.


    ¡°Ooooooo!¡± she crooned then he grabbed her ass and squeezed.


    ¡°Oh Jack! Oh!¡±


    He pulled back and mmed it home. He was overwhelmed by the fact of being alive and his need to prove he was alive drove him frantically.


    ¡°Yes! Again!¡± Elissa cried.


    Jack started pumping his hips up and she began to bounce on him all the while moaning and yelping.


    As he¡¯d gotten a rhythm going he moved his hands to her tits and squeezed them, tugging at her nipples. The Queen crooned loudly and her voice began to tremble showing her release wasing up fast. So was Jack¡¯s so he needed hers to speed up. He slid his left hand down her back and over her ass. She felt him back there and she tensed up.


    Jack sped up pounding his cock into Elissa¡¯s wet opening. She began to twitch. He slipped his fingertip into her ass and her crooning soared as she gushed over his legs. Then it was his turn to spray up into her body. He grabbed her ass again and buried his cock as deeply as he could and shot jet after jet of cum deep into her. She cried out with joy as she felt his heat filling her.


    Theyy like that, entwined and panting for a little while just enjoying the closeness. Finally she sat up and pulled herself free. She moved off the bed and slipped into the bathroom of his private hospital room. Momentster she was back, dressed and smiling blissfully.


    ¡°Did you get your baby daughter?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Oh Jack, I¡¯m only at the very beginning of my fertility cycle. That wasn¡¯t to get pregnant. That was just because I wanted to do it,¡± she said. She leaned over, sucked him into her mouth and proceeded to ¡®clean¡¯ him as Leffera did. Jack moaned and began to feel a resurgence.


    The Queen pulled back with a sigh. ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to continue that to its wonderful conclusion, I have to go.¡± She pulled the covers back over him and left with a smile.


    A few minutester the door pushed open and a ck streak shot into the room and flowed up onto his bed. SennLann stretched out over his body and kissed him deeply. His head was spinning when he jumped and yelped from her biting his lip.


    He pulled back in shock and stared at her. ¡°You bit me!¡±


    ¡°Punishment for almost scaring me to death! I thought you were dead! You must never fight someone who has a gun if all you have is a piece of blue stretchy¡­ thing,¡± she hissed.


    ¡°It was all I had. And it worked¡­ didn¡¯t it?¡± he asked.


    She squirmed across his body then finally huffed. ¡°Yes. He didn¡¯t kill you. He dropped the gun and was captured. He is to be imprisoned indefinitely. They took his testicles too I am told. Part of that ancientw he should have studied a little more carefully.¡±


    ¡°Then all¡¯s well that ends well!¡± he grinned. Her ears went back and she hissed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I had no choice!¡± he wailed. She looked mollified.


    ¡°When do I get to go home?¡± he asked.


    ¡°The doctor said tomorrow. You will have to show me how sorry you are when you get home,¡± she said and gently nipped his nose. She slipped from the bed and padded over to the door where she nced back. ¡°And stop decorating your horns.¡±


    When she was gone Jack gingerly got out of bed and went into the washroom. Sure enough there was another streak of silver, longer this time and on the other horn. His own personal bling. He sighed.


    Jack had been home for two weeks and had begun to get his life back in order. The apartment next to his had conveniently be vacant and he was allowed to expand his apartment to include the added space. A renovation team had swarmed in and reconfigured the space to eliminate the redundant rooms and to create a movie room with seats for fifteen and a state of the art projection system. He invited a smaller group for the first night movie and as promised he found copies of the original three monster ssics, Frankenstein, Drac, and his favorite, the Werewolf.


    His guests were Queen Elissa, Karrel, Leffera looking happily plump, Bal and Gee (both fully recovered from their ordeal on Earth), FennLann and SennLann looking totally happy together, Hellna, Narelle and most importantly Aaros who had saved his bacon so many times. He promised the staff from both offices that movie night would return next week and go back to a nightly schedule.


    Jack almost ran out of popcorn with the triple feature but the night was a huge hit. Everyone had a favorite and they were all talking about the movies as they headed home. FennLann and SennLann retired to the guest bedroom at the far end of his apartment expansion. Bal and Gee surprised him when they both gave him a deep kiss as they left. He shook hands with Hellna and Narelle who both left with doggy bags of popcorn having just discovered the wonderful stuff that evening.


    Queen Elissa was happily building on her family having begun the desired daughter from Jack. She gave him a sweet kiss as she left with Karrel who asked discretely for him to set some time aside for her on his next lunch hour. Leffera not so discretely asked for a visit as soon as possible. He said he¡¯d let her know.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Then it was just Jack and Aaros.


    She reached up and ran her fingertips over the new silver streak on his horn and he closed his eyes in pleasure.


    ¡°Your touch brings me such peace! Why is that?¡± he reopened his eyes and saw Aaros was watching his mouth with an odd look on her face. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± he smiled.


    Aaros looked away flustered which he found adorable. He put his arms around her so she couldn¡¯t get away. ¡°Tell me!¡±


    ¡°I was just- no, I can¡¯t say it!¡± she pressed her face against his shoulder so he wouldn¡¯t see her embarrassment.


    Jack suddenly bent down and scooped her into his arms. She bleated in surprise and he carried her into his bedroom. Heid her out on the bed. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted this since that morning I woke with you pressed up against my back.¡±


    He leaned over her and ran his lips across hers in a gentle caress. He felt her tremble and her breath catch. He gently sucked her lower lip between his and felt her tongue slip out to taste his lips. He chased it with his tongue and while she was preupied he undid her gown and peeled it back from her torso. While she was sucking at his tongue he cupped her top breast in his hand. She whimpered into his mouth and he felt her nipple stiffen in his palm. He gently squeezed her tit as she moaned and sucked harder on his tongue.


    When he tugged on her nipple she arched her back and crooned. He moved his mouth to her neck and growled deeply in his chest. She went still and he scraped his teeth across her neck. As he pressed the t of his tongue against the side of her neck he felt the rapid hammering of her heartbeat. He moved down and sucked her top left tit into his mouth and flicked his tongue across the stiff nipple. Aaros grabbed his head and squeezed it tightly against her breast. He lightly grazed his teeth across her nipple and she gasped.


    Jack suckled, chewed and tugged his way down her nipples until he was descending past the lowest set.


    Aaros was thrashing, tugging at him, and crooning constantly now but he took his time and let the pleasure build. He scraped his nails across the sensitive fur on her inner thighs and her thrashing increased. He nibbled at the flesh of her thighs and she cried out.


    She tilted her head up to watch him as her mouth worked soundlessly. It came to him then. This is what she had been thinking of earlier. What she¡¯d been too embarrassed to ask him about.


    He kept his eyes on her as he dipped his tongue down to run it across the outer surface of her opening. Her eyes grew wider with surprise. Then he slid his tongue deeply inside her. She mped down and her head dropped to the bed. Jack fucked her slowly with his tongue and felt her trembling through a world shattering orgasm. She was crooning quietly but the sound vibrated with her trembling.


    Jack pulled back and watched the beautiful show of Aaros¡¯ pleasure sweeping through her body. While she cooed he removed his clothes and settled back on the bed. He ran his fingers around the outer surface of her opening, collecting the slick juices and transferring it to his cock. He slipped two fingers inside and Aaros gasped, her eyes going wide.


    Jack pulled his fingers back coated in her wetness. He ran them over his hard flesh then licked the excess from his fingers. Aaros watched this with rapt attention her eyes tracking his tongue like she was still shocked he would do that. She watched Jack positioned himself and he slid the head of his cock into her opening. Her eyes shed open as she jolted and her mouth dropped open in a low moan. He slowly pushed forward driving his cock deeper.


    Then he reached her barrier.


    Realization red and Jack looked down at Aaros.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Males don¡¯t want to mate with my kind,¡± she croaked.


    She turned her head away as tears welled up in her eyes. Hey down next to her, keeping his cock inside, then rolled over with her on top. He gripped her ass and rocked his hips slowly, gently stroking in and out shallowly. He didn¡¯t press against the barrier.


    He kissed her face and nipped at her neck until the tears dried and she was gasping with need. Jack took her face in his hands and pushed her back a little so he could look into her eyes.


    ¡°Any male who doesn¡¯t see how incredibly beautiful you are has to be blind and stupid beyond measure. You are the pinnacle of physical beauty and grace and you have one of the most beautiful souls of any person I¡¯ve met. I¡¯m honored you are sharing these moments of your life with me!¡± Jack said from his heart.


    Aaros dipped her face down and kissed Jack hard as she bore down on his cock. It pushed past the barrier with a quick tear. She held still as did Jack while she rode out the pain. Once she got past the worst of it she started to move in small motions to get back to the wonderful sensations she¡¯d experienced before.


    Jack squeezed her ass and she moaned and moved a little faster. Then a little faster still. Soon she was mming up and down on his cock and Jack was moaning with the incredible sensations as she was so tight and soft. She grinned down at his loss of control and it made her feel empowered.

 39

    ¡°Aaros! Oh god! I- I¡¯m gonna cum! I can¡¯t hold it!¡± Jack gasped as his orgasm surged up. He grabbed her ass cheeks again and ground her against him forcing himself as deep as he could go.


    Aaros threw her head back and crooned as her orgasm struck. She felt Jack firing heat deep inside her and her eyes rolled back with the sensation.


    Jack¡¯s orgasm rolled on and on and he couldn¡¯t believe how much he was spraying into Aaros. All he could do was cling to her and shake.


    Finally their surroundings came back to them as theyy panting.


    ¡°Did I ever tell you that your name sounds a great deal like a word from an ancientnguage on my. ¡®Eros¡¯ which means the ¡®expression of sexual love¡¯. When Narelle first told me your name I thought she was teasing me. Then when I saw you I thought it was a cruel punishment to restrict me from sex yet trap me with someone so lovely. It was torture!¡± Jack smiled fondly and Aaros looked embarrassed.


    She rolled from his body and sat up. Jack kept his eyes on her face so he saw her freeze and a strange expression slip onto her features.


    ¡°Oh. Oh my.¡± She was looking off into space and tears were welling up in her eyes again.


    Jack sat up and looked at her with concern. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    She suddenly realized she wasn¡¯t alone anymore. ¡°I can feel it!¡±


    ¡°What? What can you feel?¡± he asked.


    ¡°My body. It¡¯s preparing for a baby,¡± she said with wonder. ¡°I never thought I would¡­¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t smell the sweet musk!¡± Jack yelped.


    She looked at Jack. ¡°Have you ever smelled musk from me?¡±


    Jack thought back and realized he hadn¡¯t. ¡°Aren¡¯t you on contraceptives?¡±


    ¡°Why would I be if no male wants to mate with me?¡± she answered. ¡°I never expected to mate tonight!¡±


    ¡°Do you want a child?¡± he asked gently.


    ¡°YES! Oh, I didn¡¯t know how much until just now!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m thrilled for you! I have to warn you though, I¡¯m not one of those males that mates and walks away from the responsibility of raising the child. I will want to be involved in its life!¡± he said seriously and she looked at him with happy eyes and nodded.


    They settled down on the bed and cuddled. It had been a long day and they were both exhausted so sleep was quick to take them.


    There was a chime from the front door. Jack jolted awake and looked at the clock. It was one in the morning. Who the hell could that be! He jumped up thinking it might be Leffera but rxed as he recalled she wasn¡¯t due yet.


    Jack grabbed his robe and threw it on as he marched to the front door.


    SennLann came rushing down the hall in a swirl of silk followed by FennLann who was¡­ quite naked.


    ¡°FennLann! Go put on a robe or some shorts! Cover that up! Geez!¡± Jack barked and the Phem Kalos looked surprised and rushed back to the bedroom to get his robe.


    Jack pulled open the door and Gee was standing there looking grim.


    ¡°Gee! What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jack asked, surprised. He stood back to let her enter. Bal followed her in then Jack was face to face with someone he never expected to see again.


    Diana Haven stood in his doorway. Instead of gazing into her beautiful green eyes he saw one was swollen shut and the other was red from crying. Her forehead had a bad cut held closed by suture tape.


    ¡°Oh my god! Diana,e in please! What happened?¡± Jack blurted.


    ¡°Before that, do you take responsibility for this imant of political asylum?¡± Gee asked.


    Political asylum? He looked at Diana but she wasn¡¯t looking at him. Her eyes were downcast and had a desperate look to them. His history with the woman had been tumultuous at best but Jack couldn¡¯t turn her away in her hour of need. ¡°Yes. I have extra room now so she can stay with me until we get this sorted out.¡±


    Diana¡¯s shoulders sagged as the tension she¡¯d been carrying left her. The relief was so profound she wobbled and Jack took hold of her elbow and led her to the couch. When he looked back Gee and Bal were on their way out the door. They had bad memories with this woman. He¡¯d speak with them in the morning.


    Diana was looking at apletely white Altarian female, an ebony furred catdy and the ck and brown furred cat man who were all looking back at her. She froze.


    Jack saw the bewildered look on the woman¡¯s face. He supposed that to her he lived in a strange world but then it looked like her world had just fallen apart. ¡°Diana, this is my very good friend Aaros. She¡¯s a Judge here on Altaria. These are my friends Princess SennLann Du Kess and her cousin FennLann De Jark, Prince Regent of Phem Kalos.¡± Diana¡¯s eye widened and she nodded to the beings.


    ¡°This is Diana Haven, my friend from Earth,¡± Jack said and his friends nodded and smiled. With a final wave SennLann and FennLann headed back to their room. Aaros pulled Jack aside.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go home now. I had a lovely evening! I will speak with you tomorrow. Your friend from Earth needs to beforted. Take care of her,¡± Aaros said.


    ¡°This is what I was saying about your beautiful soul!¡± Jack murmured to her then gave her a sweet kiss. He let her out then walked back to the couch.


    Diana had watched the tender moment between Jack and Aaros and was feeling incredibly awkward. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to interfere with your evening, Jack! I- I- I just didn¡¯t know where else to go.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t worry about it. Tell me what happened and start at the beginning,¡± he said gently.


    ¡°My father survived your hitting him but had to have his face reconstructed. He looks horrible but I guess it hasn¡¯t had time to heal. He was recuperating at my ce under house arrest as I¡¯m his only family. Anyway, the day your battle with the Altarian male was on TV we were watching it. When the male said my father was involved with your attempted murder I said some things to him I shouldn¡¯t have. Today I discovered something and I wasn¡¯t careful enough. My father found out and he went mad. He started beating on me and I just managed to escape the house. I¡¯m certain he would have killed me. There was a police standoff at my house and my father outed me on national TV. The fact that I¡¯d had sex with you. I immediately started getting death threats, a lot of them. Nowhere on Earth felt safe so I came here.¡±


    ¡°What did your father find?¡± Jack asked, suspecting the answer.


    Diana looked away from Jack and her desperation returned. She seemed to be collecting herself. ¡°A pregnancy test. A positive one,¡± Diana said and nced to see his reaction. She rxed when she didn¡¯t see anger or signs of imminent violence as her father had reacted.


    ¡°You said you were on the pill,¡± Jack said with confusion.


    ¡°Well¡­ I was really horny and there was a good chance you weren¡¯tpatible¡­ so I lied,¡± she admitted looking at Jack from under her bangs.


    He sighed. ¡°Have you been to a doctor?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No.¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Tomorrow is the start of the weekend so we¡¯ll go to the hospital in the morning. I¡¯ll show you where you can sleep tonight.¡±


    ¡°Could- could I stay with you? I¡¯m feeling kind of isted,¡± she asked.


    Jack looked at her and saw the desperation in the non-swollen eye. ¡°OK, sure.¡±


    He led her to his bedroom. Jack slipped some boxers on under his robe then quickly brushed his teeth. When he exited the bathroom he noticed her just standing there looking lost. He realized she¡¯d arrived on Altaria much like he would have left it if he¡¯d been banished. With only the clothes on his back. He pulled a long t-shirt from his drawer and pointed to the washroom. ¡°Extra toothbrush in the top drawer left side.¡±


    She went to get ready for bed and he slipped under the covers. A few minutester she stepped out and slipped under the sheets too. She hesitated a second then slid next to him. When he didn¡¯t object she snuggled up to him.


    He turned off the light and tried to get to sleep.

 40

    Jack¡¯s doctor was delighted to see him again and was even more thrilled to have a female Human as a new patient. She treated Diana¡¯s eye and the swelling began to diminish immediately. The doctor assured her that there was no permanent damage and it would be back to normal within the week.


    She also ran a series of tests that confirmed Diana was carrying a child but it was early in the gestation period. All indications so far was that it was healthy. Without intrusive tests there wasn¡¯t any way to determine if there was going to be any gic surprises. Then came the question. Did Diana wish to carry the child to term?


    Jack sat down in front of her and took her hands in his. ¡°Have you considered what your long term ns are? You¡¯ve applied for political asylum. I assume this is due to your treatment based on the news of your pregnancy.¡± She nodded timidly. ¡°If you terminated the pregnancy you may no longer have those issues. You might be able to get your life back.¡±


    Tears were running down her cheeks and her lower lip was trembling. Jack snagged some tissues and handed them to her. She dabbed her eyes and looked up at Jack. ¡°My da- father is dead. He decided going out in a ze of glory was better than rotting in a jail. The police granted his wish.¡± She cried for a minute while Jack rubbed her back and let her lean on his shoulder. When she finally got control of herself she pulled back and continued.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a stupid person but I keep making stupid decisions! Every boyfriend I¡¯ve had was abusive like my father. You¡¯re the only one who¡¯s treated me like a person and not a punching bag with tits. Yet because of me your ck Altarian friends were hurt and hate me and you were shot! I¡¯ve made such a mess of everything I¡¯ve touched! I can¡¯t keep a job. I never found one I was good at. I only got the job at the Gate terminus because of my father¡¯s connections. I failed the psychological testing. They said I had xenophilia but no one exined what they meant by that!¡± Jack recalled her odd reaction when she grabbed his horns during sex. ¡°My scores weren¡¯t good enough to get me the job but he knew someone on the inside. That connection was exposed when he was arrested so I lost that job too.¡± She looked down at her hands in herp.


    ¡°I have no life to get back to.¡±


    Jack saw her despair. She was lost on an alien world, drifting with no anchor. She was also lovely and took his breath away. She was also carrying his child. His human child if all went well.


    Jack nervously cleared his throat and she looked up at him. The swelling had dramatically decreased on her eye so he could now see the brilliant green of both eyes. They were both a little puffy and red from crying but he still found them profoundly lovely. He still felt the jangle of rm bells with her but maybe a little unpredictability could be a good thing. Only time would tell.


    Jack took her hands in his again and looked into her eyes. ¡°You need to make a decision about the life you are carrying within you. It¡¯spletely your decision and I will respect any decision you make. But before you make that decision I want you to know there are some things you can stop worrying about if they impact that decision. If you wanted to keep it, I will fully support the child. Provide it with a home, food, clothing, healthcare and eventually education. I make good money and I really have very little to spend it on.¡± Diana was looking at him wide eyed.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    He took a deep breath and continued. ¡°What a child needs most of course is the love of its parents. If you think you can love the life within you then I will ensure you have a ce at its side as it grows. I¡¯ve been told that being a Mom is one of the most difficult and demanding jobs but I understand it can also be one of the most rewarding.¡±


    ¡°Are- are you asking me to marry you?¡± Diana gasped.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m beingpletely honest with you. Altaria does not support the institution of marriage. They have no concept in their society. There are just too few males. That doesn¡¯t mean they are incapable of love. They just don¡¯t form long term rtionships. I have many dear Altarian friends and those rtionships often have a physical side. It¡¯s just how they are. But none of these friendships fulfill my need for a Human based emotional bond. I¡¯m definitely physically attracted to you. I mean you¡¯re breathtaking! Even in the little time I¡¯ve known you I believe I could definitely find myself falling for you once we get to know each other better. To date our rtionship has been¡­ vtile.¡± He grinned when he said that and she blushed.


    ¡°I understand if you need sexual fidelity in a rtionship considering the bad experiences you¡¯ve been through. I can¡¯t offer that due to the environment I live in now which quite honestly suits my personality far better than any on Earth ever did. I can promise to never to be abusive and to treat you with love and respect.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all so different and upside down here! Everyone looks different and acts different. Better in many ways but I¡¯m not used to it. I¡¯ve had such a bad track record with making decisions I¡¯ve be frightened of making them,¡± she moaned.


    ¡°There is no need to rush this one. You are still in the early days of your pregnancy. Take some time to think over the different paths you see your life taking based on the different decisions you could make. Whichever one feels right to you is the one you should take,¡± Jack assured her.


    ¡°Which one do you want?¡± she asked anxiously.


    ¡°I think you know but that can¡¯t be the sole deciding factor. It¡¯s a life. It¡¯s amitment. The decision shouldn¡¯t be rushed, taken lightly or given away. Let¡¯s go home and you can think on it,¡± Jack insisted and she nodded.


    They stopped at an Altarian clothing shop on the way home as Diana needed some clothes of her own. The shopkeeper was so excited about making a gown for Human she promised it would take but a few minutes. She took measurements and her entire seamstress crew got involved with selecting the materials, a beautiful sp to hold the fabric in ce on her shoulder. They were stunned to see the size of Diana¡¯s breasts and understood the need for such an undergarment to provide support. The lead seamstress asked to see the bra so she could see how it was constructed so she might incorporate some simr structure into the new gown. Jack politely turned his back as thedies discussed the engineering required. Two younger workers boldly asked if they might lift her breasts to see how much strength the garment would require.


    ¡°Jack?¡± Diana asked intively.


    ¡°If you aren¡¯tfortable with them touching you just say so. It¡¯s no different than on Earth except here they ask politely,¡± Jack exined.


    Diana thought about that then turned to the waiting workers and nodded. The twodies took turns lifting her breasts then turned to the senior seamstress who was still reverse engineering the bra.


    ¡°We will need three moreyers to support this weight!¡± one of the juniors suggested to her senior.


    ¡°What? No! That would be too thick. It wouldn¡¯t flow! The weight of her breasts can¡¯t be that high!¡± the master seamstress walked up to Diana. ¡°May I?¡± she asked. Diana nodded, biting her lip.


    The female lifted both at the same time then one at a time and from the side. Then she held the bra cups under the breasts and lifted them again.


    Finally she handed the bra back to Diana and nodded to herself. ¡°Twoyers and a cross sweep. Over both shoulders and two sps. You have an abundance that needs support. I will be but a minute.¡± She turned and pped at the two juniors who rushed off to get the bolt of fabric.


    Diana slipped her bra back on and walked back to Jack. She pressed herself against his arm and ground against his hip. She leaned in to whisper in his ear. ¡°Holy Fuck! I¡¯m so turned on! Why am I feeling like this? What¡¯s wrong with me?¡±


    Jack looked closely at the woman panting in his ear. ¡°Nothing¡¯s ¡®wrong¡¯ with you. It¡¯s xenophilia. You have a strong fetish for aliens.¡±


    She pulled back in shock.


    ¡°That¡¯s what it means. Don¡¯t you recall when we were having sex and you grabbed my horns?¡± Jack reminded her. She moaned and rubbed her thighs together. Then she looked troubled.


    ¡°It¡¯s not wrong, bad, or evil. It¡¯s just a strong desire. Trust me, epting strange new things about yourself makes you far happier than trying to deny them.¡± He lightly bumped her forehead with his horns. She nced up in surprise then smiled at him.


    A few minutester the master seamstress was back and she was carrying a bundle of beautiful fabric. It was light and airy in cream tones with flecks of green to match Diana¡¯s eyes. The sps were gold. She showed Diana how it was to be worn.


    With an impish smile Diana took off her bra and pants leaving only her panties on. Jack immediately started to react and her smile told him she noticed.


    With the help of the three females Diana got the gown on and true to her word the gown supported Diana¡¯s generous tits. By this point with all the touches and adjusting Diana¡¯s face was flushed and her nipples were stiff with need. One of the juniors thought there might be something wrong with the stitching as the fabric seemed to be bulging in two ces. She reached up and tugged on these protrusions and Diana threw back her head with a gasp as her nipples were roughly squeezed and pulled.


    ¡°Jack! Oh God, Jack! Take me home! Now!¡± Diana begged.


    The young female was mortified at what she had done and began to bleat. The Master Seamstress scowled at her but Jack assured them it had just been a simple mistake and all was well. He paid for the gown and requested a dozen more in various colors much to the delight of the store manager and the pride of the team.


    Jack grabbed a cab and soon he was being pulled into his apartment by a very excited woman. They got as far as the living room before Diana popped the sps on her new dress and let it fall to her feet. She looked at Jack with real heat and sunk to her knees in front of him. She undid the button and zipper on his pants and tugged them down with his underwear. His cock bounced free and she grabbed hold of it.


    Jack hissed lightly at her roughness but soon groaned in bliss as Diana forced his cock deep into her throat. She ran her tongue along the shaft as she withdrew then plunged it deeply once more. She repeated this four more times until Jack felt himself reaching maximum rigidity.


    Diana pushed him back to sit on the couch and immediately straddled him. She was dripping with her own excitement and wasted no time in sinking his hard cock into her heat. Her tits were directly in Jack¡¯s face so he grabbed them and squeezed them tightly as he tugged on her nipples as he¡¯d seen the young female do in the shop. He was rewarded with the same moan and her bouncing sped up.

 41

    Sounds of wet flesh pping together filled the room and soon Diana was wailing with her need to cum. Her eyes met Jack¡¯s with a desperate look. He smiled and leaned his head forward. She immediately grabbed his horns and he felt a huge tremor run through her body. His own orgasm was rushing towards him and he closed his eyes to concentrate on the sensations.


    After a moment Jack heard purring and opened his eyes to see happy golden eyes staring down at him from over Diana¡¯s shoulder. SennLann was naked and pressed up against Diana¡¯s back. She was reaching around the woman to support herrge breasts which the Phem Kalos female obviously found fascinating.


    Diana¡¯s face showed her rapture. Her eyes had rolled back and her mouth was ck. Her grip on his horns was rigid and her pussy was clenching, milking the cum from his pumping balls.


    ¡°She is beautiful and her breasts are sorge, Jack! Will she be staying?¡± SennLann smiled.


    ¡°Cumming, give me a sec,¡± he ground out as his body spasmed with bliss.


    SennLann rubbed her cheek against Diana¡¯s and purred. The woman squeaked and went limp.


    Jack found himself supporting both Diana and SennLann who was rubbing herself against the unconscious woman¡¯s back. ¡°SennLann! Move back. I have to move Diana to the couch until she wakes up!¡±


    ¡°Oh! She¡¯s fallen asleep? How strange!¡± the Phem Kalos eximed.


    ¡°No, she passed out from too much sensation or excitement. That¡¯s not the same as falling asleep,¡± Jack exined as he carefullyid the woman back against the cushions. ¡°Get me a towel from the bathroom please.¡±


    SennLann darted away and was back in a second with a towel. The female was twitching and almost dancing in ce. Jack tried to ignore her excitement and tucked the towel under Diana¡¯s ass. She was going to leak once he pulled out. He did so carefully and used the corner of the towel to dry himself. Then he pulled the couch nket over Diana¡¯s sleeping form.


    The moment Jack leaned back from Diana SennLann surged forward and ran her tongue down the length of his cock. He jolted and stumbled up to his feet to move back. SennLann followed his movements to keep her tongue running along his hardening flesh.


    ¡°SennLann! Give me a second! Where¡¯s FennLann?¡± Jack barked, thinking her lover should take this lusty vixen back to their room.


    She paused in her licking long enough to look up at him. ¡°He went back to Phem Kalos. He¡¯s organizing an arm wrestling tournament and will be away for two months!¡± she pouted then went back to licking.


    Jack was hard enough to bend steel at this point but still she licked. He tried lifting her away from his cock but she slithered from his grip with an impish smile and gave him more licks.


    Finally he lifted her off her feet and set her over the arm of the couch with her ass pointing back at him. Her feet couldn¡¯t reach the floor so she couldn¡¯t get any purchase. She looked back at him with heat which changed to surprise when he dipped his face to her ass. Jack ran his tongue across her opening and she yowled as her legs went straight out from her body.


    ¡°WHAT! What are you doooAHHHH!¡± she cried as Jack¡¯s tongue returned to stroke her again.


    Jack did it a few more times and dipped his tongue deeper each time. Her yowls grew louder and her purrs afterwards threatened to shake her from the couch. When he began to fuck her with his tongue she shook with a release. Jack stood up and pushed the fat head of his cock against her dripping opening. Her legs jolted again as he forced his way deep inside. Her head whipped back to look at him. The look of bliss on her face was beautiful! Jack pulled out slowly right to the edge then mmed in deep and she yowled. Growling, he grabbed her hips and began to pump his cock into her roughly as she tried to push back. He increased his speed and rubbed the pad of his thumb against her puckered asshole.


    Panting, SennLann gave him a wild, wide eyed look over her shoulder as he massaged the tightly clenched muscle. She was trying so hard to maintain a tight seal but his slick thumb spread her juices over its surface and dipped a little deeper with each rotation. The nerves around the edge were sending delicious sparks all through SennLann¡¯s body and the pounding of her pussy was crumbling her defenses.


    His thumb finally slipped in and she began to shake. Jack continued to pound her deeply with his cock while he slowly and gently stroked his thumb in and out of her ass. He was getting close so he sped up his thumb thrusting and she made a crazed chattering sound. Jack exploded deep inside her and slipped his thumb from her ass. She flopped down against the cushions as she lost her muscle coordination.


    Jack squeezed thest of his cum from his spent cock and slipped it from the female¡¯s exhausted body. He staggered back and dropped into a chair. He saw Diana sleepingfortably on the couch with a blissful little smile on her lips. At the other end of the couch dazed gold eyes turned to look at him. She still couldn¡¯t reach the floor with her feet so she pulled herself forward onto the couch. She gingerly pushed herself to her feet and wobbled from the unfamiliar tingling sensations she was feeling in her ass. She carefully walked over to his chair and looked for permission before she climbed on to curl up on hisp.


    SennLann nuzzled his neck and rubbed her face against his jawline. She pulled back to blink herrge eyes seriously at him. ¡°You do such strange and wonderful things to me! FennLann must learn these new ways.¡± Jack nodded and rubbed his chin on her cheek.


    ¡°You know you shouldn¡¯t have assumed Diana was ready and willing to have you join us,¡± Jack said.


    ¡°But you were not in a private ce! You were having sex in the public area of your home. I took this to be an invitation and I was very excited by the sounds you two were making!¡± SennLann looked at him questioningly. He realized she had a point and nodded.


    The female looked over at the sleeping woman. ¡°So, is she staying?¡±N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I hope so but it¡¯s up to her. She¡¯s carrying my child.¡±


    ¡°Our child,¡± came a whisper from the couch.


    ¡°Our child,¡± Jack agreed and smiled.

 42

    Diana opened her eyes and looked over at Jack. Then she slid her eyes to SennLann. Her expression swung through confusion, awe, worry, longing then settled on happiness. Her eyes returned to Jack. ¡°There is no way I could feel this good on Earth. When I look back at the path my life has followed so far, it only started to get better when I started working at the Gate Terminal and came into contact with all the wondrous beings who passed through. Jack, you¡¯re such a departure from everything my life was and when I look forward I know I want this. I¡¯m excited yet terrified about being a mother. On top of that I¡¯mpletely out of my element. I don¡¯t know how to react and behave around non-humans. I¡¯m worried that may prove troublesome for you. I¡¯ll try to do my best to learn but I¡¯m going to need your patience.¡±


    ¡°I can do that,¡± Jack smiled.


    There was a chime from his front door. SennLann jumped off Jack and shot away to go get some clothes. Jack got up and pulled his clothes back on as Diana struggled to remember how the gown went on. He gently pushed her to the bedroom and closed the door. The chime went off again and he walked over to answer it.


    The moment the door was open Queen Elissa barged in with Max in her arms. Karrel followed her in with Alex clutched to her chest. He¡¯d already grown a little and gave Jack a smile as they passed. Leffera camest and Jack ran his palm affectionately over her tummy. She gave him a kiss in return.


    He looked up in surprise and delight as he saw Aaros standing in the doorway. He held out an arm to bring her in and gave her a hug. She moved into the apartment and Jack took a look in the hallway but that was thest of his guests. He came inside and closed the door.


    ¡°To what do I owe the honor of this visit from you lovelydies?¡± Jack asked.


    Elissa stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯ve been informed that a Human female from Earth has applied for political asylum and that this female was brought herest night because you¡¯re our resident human. This morning I was informed that she visited the hospital and was treated for injuries she sustained from a beating and she is pregnant.¡±


    ¡°My, you are well informed,¡± Jack said with raised eyebrows.


    ¡°I¡¯m the Queen! It¡¯s my job to be informed!¡± Elissa blurted. ¡°With the recent turmoil and intrigue on Earth our Security Ministry has been keeping a close eye on things. She informed me that this female has ties to the people who tried to have you killed!¡±


    ¡°Yes, her father was the man who supplied the silver bullets for the gun Lunnae used to shoot me,¡± Jack agreed.


    Elissa¡¯s jaw was open but no words wereing out. Karrel picked up the argument for her. ¡°There is concern that this group sent the female to lure you back to Earth. Perhaps to deliver you into their clutches! You do have a soft spot when ites to women in distress and children especially.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t want you to go!¡± Leffera blurted with tears in her eyes.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Jack looked at Aaros to see if she had anything to add but she was looking as bewildered as him. ¡°I just dropped by to say hello and got swept along with the group.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there gaping at us! Tell us what you are going to do about it!¡± The Queen had her royal voice back.


    Jack snorted then got control over himself. He walked over to the bedroom door and opened it. Diana was inside looking frightened and had tears in her eyes. He took her under his arm and led her out to face her users who were looking embarrassed and worried at Jack¡¯s intimate hold on the woman. Jack shared a look with SennLann who was watching the events with amused interest while stretched out on the back of the couch.


    ¡°Queen Elissa, may I introduce Diana Haven, my friend from Earth. As I said she was the daughter of the man with the silver bullets. Her father died after an altercation with Earth¡¯s police. Diana never had any involvement with her father¡¯s hate group outside of their getting her a job at a Gate Terminal. I know something about how hard it is to get work on Earth.¡±


    ¡°The injuries? Her father beat her when he discovered she¡¯s pregnant with my child.¡± Thedies went wide eyed when they heard that.


    ¡°She escaped with her life but had to flee Earth due to death threats. Diana has decided to have the child and she¡¯d like to live here on Altaria with me¡­ if her political asylum is granted.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± the Queen said, seeming to have lost her voice again.


    ¡°Are these your children, Jack?¡± Diana asked meekly.


    ¡°Yes, Karrel is holding Alexander, which was my father¡¯s name. Alex was my first born.¡± Karrel beamed with pride and brought the child forward for Diana to meet.


    ¡°Queen Elissa is carrying Maximilian who was named after my grandfather. She is also pregnant with a female.¡± Elissa was still embarrassed about her earlier outburst but talking about her children alwaysforted her.


    ¡°Do you have a name for our daughter, Jack?¡± Elissa asked.


    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m not telling you until she¡¯s born and I see if the name suits her,¡± he admonished.


    ¡°But Leffera will have her daughter first and you¡¯ll give the name to her!¡± she pouted as the truth came out. Leffera looked at the Queen in surprise.


    ¡°No, if Leffera wants help with a name I have another one in mind.¡± Leffera¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Again, I have to see the child first.¡± She nodded rapidly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Leffera. That was wicked of me to behave like that. Sometimes I think my hormones are taking over,¡± Elissa apologized.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, I know how that feels,¡± Leffera sighed.


    Jack was smiling at Aaros who was looking distinctly embarrassed. She sent him some warning nces to be quiet but Diana caught on first.


    ¡°Eros is pregnant too!¡± she blurted.


    The group spun and looked at the white furred female in surprise.


    ¡°Aaros, I know it sounds like Eros but there is a subtle difference,¡± Jack told Diana. ¡°And I believe she wanted to keep her condition under wraps,¡± he whispered. She looked embarrassed and apologized to Aaros who just waved it off.


    Elissa looked around at the gathered females. ¡°Princess SennLann and Karrel are the only ones currently not carrying your child Jack!¡±


    ¡°I am pregnant too,¡± SennLann stated calmly. Heads whipped around to look at her then whipped back to look at Jack. ¡°It¡¯s not Jack¡¯s though,¡± she pouted.


    ¡°I want to get back to work. I can have another childter,¡± Karrel said. ¡°Alexander brings me all the joy I need for now.¡±


    Jack leaned in to Diana¡¯s ear. ¡°Something you should know. Karrel is Elissa¡¯s daughter. So Max is her brother and Max is Alex¡¯s younger Uncle.¡± Diana looked at the children with confusion.


    ¡°Not to worry. Altarians don¡¯t really follow the family tree very far. Mother¡¯s, daughters, and sons. Fathers rarely matter but this father doesn¡¯t y that game!¡± he growled. That drew smiles from thedies.


    ¡°Are you going for a record or something?¡± Diana said nervously.


    ¡°No! This has been¡­ an organic development. I didn¡¯t intend to have so many children. Karrel thought I was safe to have sex with while she was off the pill and fertile. I had no idea how to tell when an Altarian female was fertile. Queen Elissa saw Alexander and decided she wanted more kids with me as their father. She tricked me for our first one. I thought she was Karrel,¡± Jack said with a smirk. The Queen had the good grace to look apologetic.


    ¡°Leffera¡¯s pregnancy was my first intentional effort. Queen Elissa¡¯s current pregnancy was my second. Aaros has no scent so I couldn¡¯t tell she was fertile and her pregnancy took her by surprise but I love that she¡¯s carrying my child,¡± Jack said with a smile for the Judge.


    ¡°And you¡­ you told me you were on the pill and you thought I was probably safe,¡± Jack grinned. Diana looked embarrassed and looked at the otherdies. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re all family here. We should keep no secrets from each other!¡±


    Jack felt a deep feeling of satisfaction as he gazed upon their smiling faces. ¡°I wanted a big family and I certainly got one. Now all I want is to settle down into a peaceful life to enjoy it. I can do that!¡±


    Six beautiful sets of eyes fixed on him with various levels of skepticism.


    ¡°What? It could happen!¡±

 43

    Jack finds himself in the key position of a deadly game.


    *****


    Jack¡¯s Wage very ¨C


    ********


    Jack struggled to move his arms but they remained lifeless dead weights pinned to the tform he was trapped on. He couldn¡¯t see anything in the inky darkness of the chamber he was being held captive in. Oppressive heat bathed his body and sweat covered his limbs. He struggled to draw a breath but something was blocking his nose and mouth.


    A deep rumbling droned on and on in his ear.


    He tried to call out but he couldn¡¯t get a breath and his voice was drowned out by the rumbling.


    He suddenly realized he was going to die in this pit of darkness and heat.


    Alone.


    Jack woke up gasping for air as his heart pounded with his dread. His gasp was rewarded with a mouthful of fur and hair.


    Turning his face to clear his mouth, he blinked the sleep from his eyes and realized he was pinned to his mattress under the hot bodies of two females. Diana, a tall ebony haired human, was lying on her right side covering his right arm, the round dome of her pregnant stomach resting on the mattress. Her back was tucked up tight against his side and her long hair was flowing back over his face.


    SennLann, the ebony furred Phem Kalos who resembled a tailless cat, was squeezed up against his left side, her smaller but still bulging tummy resting on his left arm. Her furry left arm was flung up over his face and she was purring loudly in his ear as she slept.


    Jack realized his arms really were dead weight from the twodies sleeping on them.


    ¡°Diana! SennLann! Wake up!¡± he called to them and felt them begin to stir. The purring immediately stopped and he felt the feline¡¯s nose pressing against his cheek.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying on my arms!¡± heined to get them to move quicker.


    ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re all sweaty!¡± Diana growled as she slid herself away from him. SennLan stretched and identally scratched Jack¡¯s chest with one of her sharp ws.


    ¡°Ouch! Hey! Be careful!¡± he yelped.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a crybaby! I¡¯m moving!¡± Diana replied thinking he was talking to her.


    ¡°No, SennLann just scratched me!¡±


    ¡°Are you the baby who cries Jack?¡± the feline female grinned sleepily as she rolled away from him, flicking herrge tufted ears.


    Jack gritted his teeth as his arms began to ¡®wake up¡¯ from their trapped state. Millions of pins and needles stabbed him up and down his arms.


    He frowned at Diana who was rubbing her stomach fondly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sweaty when I went to bed alonest night. I thought you were morefortable in the guest room.¡±


    She blinked her beautiful green eyes at him and pouted. ¡°I woke up and needed to feel you close by.¡±


    He tore his eyes away from hers with difficulty and looked into the gold eyes looking back at him from his other side. ¡°I know for a fact that you were sleeping in your own room when I went to bedst night. How did you end up here?¡±


    ¡°I entered the final phase of my pregnancyst night. I am drawing very close to my delivery date so I must be close to my mate. As he¡¯s still on Phem Kalos ying those silly war games you introduced him to I naturally came to your bed. Crybaby,¡± she grinned at his frown.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    He really was a sweaty mess and thedies weren¡¯t much better. He¡¯d have to wash the sheets as well.


    Jack was finally able to lift his arms from the bed though his control hadn¡¯tpletely returned. He grimaced as he flexed his hands feeling the numbness slowly fading. He looked at the clock and realized he was up an hour early. The cold, sick dread from his nightmare was still lingering so he didn¡¯t feel like trying to get more sleep. He decided to go for a run. Hopefully he¡¯d be able to clear his mind of the remnants of the nightmare with exercise.


    He pushed himself awkwardly off the bed and padded over to the washroom. He drained his dder then quickly stepped into the shower to rinse his body. There was no real point in fully washing himself if he was going to run but he didn¡¯t want to start out looking and feeling like a drowned rat. He stepped out and quickly dried himself in front of the mirror.


    He¡¯d been able to get back to his routine of running in the morning. He¡¯d managed to tighten up his muscles and lose the jiggly stuff that had begun to umte. He was back to his normal lean body¡­ well, almost. He looked up.


    Horns.


    He stared at himself in the mirror and wondered if he would ever get used to seeing therge ck horns rising from his forehead and curving back over his head. At least they¡¯d stopped growing. Three inches wide at the base and ten inches from base to their deadly sharp points. He¡¯d learned just how dense they were when he¡¯d actually deflected bullets from them, leaving behind brilliant streaks of silver from the bullets. With the extra mass on his head the muscles on his neck, shoulder, chest, and back had grown topensate and his skeletal system had altered to support the extra mass as well. He wasn¡¯t hugely muscled but he no longer had the slim runner¡¯s body he once did. He thought he looked a little top heavy but he was a little biased towards his original shape.


    He¡¯d been concerned the horns and the extra muscle mass would affect his running but so far it hadn¡¯t.


    He walked back into the bedroom and heard two appreciative growls. He looked to the bed and saw green and gold eyes glowing back at him. Both licked their lips as they looked at his naked body.


    ¡°No! I¡¯m going for a run. I need¡­ to clear the cobwebs from my mind,¡± he said sternly.


    ¡°Oh poo! You never want to have morning sex!¡± Diana pouted.


    Jack looked at her incredulously. ¡°Excuse me? What about yesterday when you had me take you on the kitchen table? And the day before that in the shower? What was the day before that¡­ oh yes. We never made it from the bedroom until I waste for work!¡±


    Diana was smiling now, recalling the delicious sex from the previous days.


    SennLann was about to say something when Jack interrupted her. ¡°For you it was when I got home from workst night. You¡¯re not a morning person.¡±


    The princess smiled and nodded.


    He pulled on his running shorts, socks, and a tight running shirt. As he pulled it over his head he heard the telltale ripping sound of the fabric tearing as it snagged on the point of one of his horns. ¡°Dammit! There goes another shirt!¡± he cursed. He pulled it off and sure enough there was arge tear down the back. He dug in his drawer and the only thing he could find was an oversized, stretched out t-shirt Diana had taken to wearing which he was NOT going to wear. He decided he¡¯d just go without this morning. He¡¯d need to do some shopping again.


    He strapped his music yer to his arm and put his ear buds in.


    Jack looked back at the bed and the women were still drinking him in with their eyes. He grinned. ¡°Have youdies seen the Gun Show?¡± he quipped and flexed his muscles at them. Delighted giggles erupted and he headed to the kitchen with a grin on his face. He drank one of his energy shakes while he looked into the fridge to see what he¡¯d make for breakfast when he got back. Then made his way to the front door, sat on the bench and put on his running shoes. When he stood up he was face to face with Diana.


    ¡°When will you be back?¡± she said running her finger over his muscles. She bit her lower lip as she gazed at his broad chest.


    Jack took her hands in his and lifted her fingers to his lips. He sensually kissed the tips causing her to gasp. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in about an hour.¡± He slipped out the door as he heard her moan behind him.


    He took the lift to the ground floor and started his music. He waved to the building¡¯s security staff as he crossed the lobby but he didn¡¯t see them staring at his body or hear the burst of giggles that followed him outside.


    Jack loved his neighborhood. The building was within walking distance of work and was surrounded by seemingly endless walking and running paths. He could set off in any direction and run for hours without the scenery bing dull or repetitive. Today he thought he¡¯d go¡­ right.


    Before he did, he began his stretches as he was feeling a little residual tightness from his unusual start to the day. He rarely had nightmares and this one really disturbed him. He pulled his mind away from that and concentrated on easing his muscles into a better state. He leaned against a pir supporting the building¡¯s front awning and bent slowly and deeply. He repeated this until he felt his muscles begin to warm and loosen. It was going to be a good run today.


    His sandy blond hair fell forward over his face as he bent over. He pushed it aside with an annoyed swipe. He¡¯d forgotten to tie it back with a rubber band when he left the bedroom. He really wanted to cut his hair short like he used to wear it on Earth but he¡¯d have a mutiny on his hands at the Trade Commission and Embassy where he worked. The staff in both offices had let him know in no uncertain terms that as the Earth¡¯s Trade Commissioner for Altaria and Altaria¡¯s Ambassador he had to represent them by looking his best. ALL of his staff insisted this meant no haircuts though they understood his bangs got into his eyes so trimming there was allowed. He still had no idea where the clippings went¡­ and he really didn¡¯t want to know.

 44

    He alternated mornings in the two offices and when he arrived one of his staff, the lucky winner apparently, got to braid his hair and tie it with a ribbon. He sighed with frustration. It now reached the middle of his back. He didn¡¯t feel like going back upstairs to get the band. He¡¯d never make it past Diana.


    He stood up and threw his hair back and nced back at the building. He saw the three Altariandies from the security desk pressed up against the window watching him with rapt attention. He nodded to them and watched them scurry back to their station.


    Altarians were¡­ beautiful! Jack was always dazzled by their grace and gentle natures. They resembled the Satyrs of ancient Greek mythology. Petite with cloven hooved feet and hands with two strong fingers and opposable thumbs on both sides. Their bodies were covered with a felt like fur which ranged in color from blond to chocte brown. The traditional garb was gossamer flowing gowns. Their heads were humanoid but their eyes were twice asrge as a human¡¯s, had diagonal pupils, and the lids had longshes. Their ears were long, pointed, expressively mobile, and typically projected horizontally. They had slim noses and wide, ck lipped mouths. As a race of herbivores they had beautiful white teeth with a definiteck of fangs.


    Males were rare with the birth ratio being ten females to every male. Generations ago the ratio had moved from eight to one and the subsequent upheaval in their society led to the males taking less of an active role in¡­ well, just about everything. They were now creatures of leisure and Jack had little time for the ¡®self-absorbed loafs¡¯ as he considered them.


    While they may have appeared shy and docile when it came to sex Altarian females were anything but passive. They had no bias towards Altarian males. Jack had discovered on his first meeting that they were very sexually liberated and energetic partners. He smiled thinking of Leffera and Karrel and his ¡®interview¡¯.


    Since his horns had grown in he was embarrassed to realize he¡¯d be something of a celebrity for the female poption who instinctively found them very attractive. Altarian males no longer had horns, the gene having be dormant.


    He started jogging down the path to the right and took it slow at first. The little aches and pains surfaced and faded after a short time when his muscles smoothed out so he increased his pace.


    This early in the morning the paths were mostly empty and it felt like he had the world to himself. After the nightmare he had this morning that thought wasn¡¯t as exhrating as it should have been. He was actually kind of relieved when he saw three Altarian females crossing his path up ahead in a small cart.


    One of the women noticed him running and frantically gestured to the other two. The cart wobbled as they altered their course to find a way back onto the path he was following.


    Jack continued running. One of his favorite music tracks had begun ying and he felt his stride opening up to his ground eating pace. His heart beat strongly and his lungs worked like a bellows to keep his muscles fed. He was really getting into the zone.


    Suddenly the cart was right next to him and he jumped to the side to give himself a little space.


    He looked at the female sitting next to the driver and recognized her from the morning show Diana watched every day. She was the host. What was she doing out on the path at this hour? He nced back and saw the passenger in the back of the cart, the one who had spotted him, was now pointing a camera at him. Actually she was panning the camera down his body which he found a little unnerving.


    The host was trying to get his attention so he turned off his music.


    ¡°-m Kihani from Morning Light! Could I take a moment of your time to ask you a few questions for my show?¡± she was saying.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ did you say¡­ your name was¡­ Kihani?¡± he gasped as he slowed his running back down to his slower pace. He wasn¡¯t giving up his morning run.


    The woman smiled widely and nodded. ¡°Yes, Kihani. My viewers are your biggest fans and this morning you look especially¡­¡± the female seemed to be at a loss for words then she nced at the camera and he realized she was just ying for her viewer¡¯s sake. ¡°¡­ delicious!¡± she finished with a grin. She turned back to him. ¡°Is this going to be your new running outfit? Small pants, shoes, and hair flowing in the wind?¡± She bit her lower lip as her eyes ate him up.


    ¡°No. I tore my¡­ shirt on my¡­ horns.¡±


    The woman with the camera panned it up and the driver elerated a little to let her get a better shot of the front of his face to see the horns in all their glory.


    ¡°Yes, your beautiful horns! This is my first time seeing them in person and they are much more¡­ impressive than I expected!¡± Kihani sighed, practically drooling.


    Jack was beginning to feel really ufortable about the direction the ¡®interview¡¯ was taking. ¡°Thanks¡­ I should get¡­ back to my run¡­. Busy day ahead,¡± he said.


    Kihani saw she was losing her star so she began talking before he could turn on his music. ¡°Karrel introduced us to Alexander, your beautiful first child. Queen Elissa has Maximilian your second son and Gendolee-¡±


    ¡°Gwendolyn,¡± he corrected.


    ¡°Yes, Gwen-do-lyn your daughter, but word is she¡¯s not your first female child.¡±


    ¡°Word is?¡± he repeated with raised eyebrows.


    ¡°Yes, we received information that you had a daughter with another female. A close friend and secret lover!¡± Kihani smiled at the camera as if the viewers were in on the secret.


    Jack suddenly realized the true nature of Morning Light. It was a gossip show! He¡¯d thought it was a local news show! How disappointing.


    ¡°You are slipping¡­ outside the realm¡­ of public knowledge¡­ reporting on¡­ spection and¡­ rumor¡­ personal information.¡± Jack gave her a disapproving frown.


    ¡°Jack, you¡¯re a celebrity-¡± Kihani began.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m a¡­ public servant¡­ Not the same¡­ Right now I¡¯m¡­ just Jack Danner¡­ private citizen.¡± Jack was struggling to talk while jogging and he really wanted to get back to his run. As the conversation was slipping away from anything he was willing to discuss it was time to end it. He gave a wave and elerated off down a path to the right before the driver could react and follow.


    ¡°What about the son you had with Judge Aaros!¡± Kihani yelled before they were out of range.


    Jack scowled back at the morning show host but kept running. Judge Aaros was a very private woman. She¡¯d been born with the monochromatism gic disorder that for him resulted in his horns. For her its ¡®gift¡¯ was fur of purest white. Shunned by Altarian males for her rare coloration, she was a vision to behold, in Jack¡¯s opinion. Equally beautiful was her gentle and caring soul. The child they been blessed with didn¡¯t need to be exposed to the likes of Kihani.


    As their son Dous was born to such unique parents with the altered genes his coloration was unique as well. His fur was darkest ck with bold zigzagging streaks of brilliant white. One of a kind and absolutely gorgeous in his parent¡¯s opinion. During hisst visit Aaros showed him with delight that Dous was growing horns as well. Just tiny buds for now but that¡¯s how they grew.


    Kihani was right about Gwendolyn not being his first daughter. Leffera, his first Altarian lover, had given birth to his first daughter, Lillian, who was named after his mother. Leffera shed tears of joy when he shared his mother¡¯s story with her. He didn¡¯t often talk about his parents but he wanted Leffera to know how special his mother had been and the sacrifices she¡¯d made to give him a safe and happy home when he was just a young boy. He was honored to be able to pass along her name to his daughter and he wanted to ensure the child would understand the significance. He¡¯d also given Queen Elissa the story of Gwendolyn, his maternal grandmother. He had only a few direct memories of her but heard tales from his mother of the woman¡¯s strength and character. Elissa was delighted.


    Jack turned his music on again and nced at the time. He still had half an hour thanks to getting up so early. He picked up the pace and swung back onto a main path which would take him in a sweeping loop back to his apartment building. He spotted Kihani and her crew some distance away, frantically scanning the paths looking for him. He groaned when Kihani suddenly pointed in his direction and pped at her driver to get them back on his tail. He did his best to ignore her but recalling how reckless the driver was he kept their position in the corner of his eye.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    They were closing in. With a grin Jack saw his escape route. There was a series of small bridges crossing a narrow canal. If he could get to the bridges before they got to him he could put the water between them. He picked up his pace but seeing their progress he realized they really had no chance.


    That¡¯s when he caught sight of the mother out for a morning walk with a baby carrier mounted on her stroller.


    Kihani was still pping her driver to get her to go faster so they didn¡¯t see the woman pushing her child into their path. The woman pushing the stroller wasn¡¯t expecting someone to be driving so recklessly fast.


    Screaming and waving to get the driver¡¯s attention back on where they were going Jack changed his course and ran as hard as he could towards them but he knew he wasn¡¯t going to get there in time.


    The camera operator was filming Jack and wondered what he was waving about. She looked away from the camera for a second and screamed as she saw the woman in their path. She leapt over the seat between the fighting women to wrench the steering wheel to the side. The cart was moving too fast to take such a vector change and it began to tip over. The cart¡¯s roof struck the mother across her shoulders mming her forward against the stroller and she went down hard on the path and tumbled off into the grass. The stroller shot forward and careened down the path.


    There was a horrible crash noise as the cart flipped onto its side and went into an uncontrolled slide. Its bumper caught the stroller and sent it airborne over the rail into the canal just before the cart mmed to a halt against the low retaining wall.

 45

    Jack vaulted over the rail to follow the stroller into the water. When he surfaced he had a grip on the side of the baby carrier but the weight was dragging him down under the surface. The water was deeper than he¡¯d expected. Frantically he pped the carrier¡¯s release lever and the metal wheeled cart dropped away and sunk. The carrier was surprisingly buoyant and bobbed on the surface. Jack looked over the lip of the carrier fearing the worst but its cover had kept most of the water out. The baby began to wail and sputter from being cold and wet.


    He sighed with relief and swam to the edge of the canal. His next problem was there was no way to get out of the water.


    Suddenly he heard the whoosh of a flying crafting in fast for anding. Soon hands reached down and took the baby carrier. His burst of adrenaline had worn off and he was struggling to tread water, barely keeping his head above the surface. He felt about as buoyant as the metal stroller had been.


    Something mped onto his horns and he felt himself being lifted clear of the water. The sensation was very ufortable but at least he wasn¡¯t drowning. When his feet touched down on the pathway the pressure released and he wobbled. Gee and Bal caught his arms and were looking up at him in concern. A retractable crane was folding itself back into the Altarian Security Ministry vehicle the two had flown here.


    He shivered as the water had been cold. Arge medical support craftnded next to Gee and Bal¡¯s ride. Several police vehiclesnded and set up a perimeter to keep the curious away.


    Jack ran his hands back through his hair and squeezed as much water out of it as he could as he set course for the medical team looking after the mother in the grass. She seemed to be conscious but badly dazed. She was calling out for her child. Jack knelt down beside her and took her hand. Frantic eyes locked onto his and he smiled.


    ¡°Your child is fine. Just a little cranky at getting such a rude awakening,¡± he said. ¡°You chose an excellent carrier. It protected¡­¡± he looked expectantly at the woman.


    ¡°Me,¡± the woman said.


    ¡°It protected Me very well! Me is a lovely name!¡± he said with a wide smile and the woman was looking at him with a star struck grin. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry you were injured by those reckless women. They were chasing me, driving irresponsibly and weren¡¯t paying attention to anyone else on the path.¡±


    ¡°Why are you wet?¡± the mother asked through the haze of the painkillers she¡¯d been injected with as Jack distracted her. Her arm was broken and Jack knew what came next.


    ¡°I had to go for a little swim when the carrier was knocked into the canal. Not to worry though Me is fine.¡± He grimaced as the medic reset the bone but the mother was beyond feeling pain by this point. All she did was stare at Jack with a silly grin.


    ¡°Take care¡­¡± he looked at her again.


    ¡°Miro.¡±


    ¡°Take care of yourself Miro.¡± Jack said as he released the woman¡¯s hand and stood. Miro¡¯s eyes went wide as he towered over her. She bit her lip. The medic smiled at him gratefully.


    Jack turned to move towards the cart which had been flipped back upright. The three upants were now sitting on the ground being watched by the police. On the left sat the driver with a bad gash on her forehead which had been taped closed. On the right was the camera woman with the sted device gently cradled against her chest. Kihani sat in the middle favoring her left arm. He stood in front of them unaware of his trembling. Gee and Bal came over with a nket from the ambnce and pulled it over his shoulders.


    Kihani seeing she had his undivided attention smiled up at him. ¡°Could you answer my questions now?¡±


    He surged forward knocking loose his nket. Gee and Bal grabbed his arms holding him back but he slowly pulled forward until his face was right in front of the frightened host.


    ¡°Yourpletely irresponsible actions almost cost the life of a mother and her CHILD! A BABY! Now you want me to REWARD you?!? That baby would have DROWNED! DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS YOUR FAULT?¡± he growled menacingly.


    The two security agents were struggling to keep his arms back as he wanted to throttle her until that vacant look was reced by something resembling an acknowledgment of guilt. Two police officers joined Gee and Bal in pulling Jack away from the threedies who were all gasping and wide eyed with fright. Once he was moving towards the Security Agency¡¯s vehicle the police let go but the two agents continued to pull.


    ¡°Oh my god! Did you see how fierce he was? That was SO SEXY! I hope you got that on camera! What a treat for our viewers!¡± Kihani gasped to her camera woman who was nodding frantically as she stared at the man¡¯s muscr back.


    Jack didn¡¯t recall spinning in ce or stalking back towards Kihani. He didn¡¯t hear their screams as they watched him approach. Gee took him down with a stunner from her position on the ground where he¡¯d flung her with his spin. He was unconscious before his face hit the grass at the hooves of the three screaming females.


    Everything hurt. Jack cracked open his eyes and even his eyelidsined. He saw he was in his bedroom on his bed. Then he saw the green and gold eyes peering down at him.


    ¡°He¡¯s awake.¡±


    ¡°What-¡± he croaked and immediately regretted talking.


    Strong hands slipped behind him and pulled his head and shoulders up. Other hands tucked pillows behind him. He was set back against the pillows and a straw was pressed between his lips. He sucked up the cool water and his throat felt better.


    ¡°What happened?¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Show him.¡± Queen Elissa said as she entered his bedroom with Maximilian and Gwendolyn in her arms. He smiled seeing the happy grin on his son¡¯s face. Max was such a happy child. His daughter was sleeping peacefully.


    Diana lifted a tablet and yed the queued video. Jack watched himself confronting the women, being dragged away then flinging the two agents off his arms like they weighed nothing. He was striding back towards the camera, rage on his face, teeth bared, eyes ring, nostrils ring, looking like he was about to eat someone. Then the sh of the stun gun and his boneless copse amidst screams.


    ¡°Stun gun,¡± he said.


    ¡°Agent Gee had to set it to maximum to take you down. That¡¯s why you hurt,¡± the Queen exined.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± he said looking at her.


    ¡°That footage was from their live show. All of Kihani¡¯s broadcasts are live. More realism and her fans love it. My office staff watch her show and when they saw her try to interview you I was called. I got to see the ident and you going into the canal. Your genuine concern for the injured woman and her child was wonderful to see but your reaction to that airhead Kihani needs to be addressed. Nobody is ming you but you frightened a lot of people. No one has seen you direct that much rage towards an Altarian and it¡¯s shaken their faith in you.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!? THAT¡¯S INSANE! The woman showed NO concern that she put Miro and Me¡¯s life at risk. No remorse at all! SHE¡¯S THE ONE who the Altarian¡¯s should be fearing, not ME!¡±


    ¡°Agreed and she will be receiving a psych evaluation in her court case. But you Jack, you looked like you were going to eat her. Your fangs were showing and suddenly the popce of Altaria saw¡­ what¡¯s that Earth phrase? Oh yes, we saw that we may have a wolf in our midst. Instinct is a very strong force in Altarians. We listen to it.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have killed her!¡± Jack sputtered.


    ¡°Maybe not but your bodynguage certainly suggested you might have.¡± Elissa insisted.


    Jack frowned but couldn¡¯t deny that he had looked pretty enraged in the video.


    ¡°You were scary sexy!¡± Diana said with a confused smile.


    He looked at the woman and recalled her record of dating abusive men and suddenly his righteous indignation dried up and blew away. He looked at Elissa in dismay.


    ¡°There¡¯s my Jack,¡± she said with a smile.


    ¡°Maybe I could make a statement to the press, apologizing for my behavior?¡± he suggested and she nodded with a smile. She nced at the two females sitting on the edge of his bed.N?velDrama.Org content.


    Diana and SennLann got up from the bed and left the room. Jack watched them go and looked at the Queen with a questioning look. The doorway was suddenly full of people as reporters began to file in with their cameras. He recognized some of the news stations and some of the reporters from the interview he¡¯d given in front of Queen Elissa¡¯s home after the birth of Max. He nced at her and she moved to the side of the bed and ced the two babies in his arms. He grinned widely as he sniffed their sweet scents and nuzzled them. Elissa stood next to the bed and nodded to the press. The cameras began rolling and suddenly Jack was very conscious he was only covered by his nket from the waist down, he was shirtless, and his long hair was unbraided. The upside was he had his babies in his arms. He gave them another kiss then looked up at the gathered members of the press at the end of his bed. It felt kind of surreal but he¡¯d just have to deal with it.


    ¡°If I may, I¡¯d like to start with a brief statement. An apology actually. I was pretty shaken up by the near drowning of baby Me. It was close. A second or so longer and the story might have been far more tragic. When I heard the unconcernedments Kihani made afterwards I¡¯m afraid in my distressed state I behaved very poorly. I¡¯m terribly sorry for my actions and I¡¯m thankful for Security Agents Gee and Bal for their intervention. I still hold Kihani directly responsible for her reckless behavior and the injuries sustained by Miro and Me. I trust she will be held ountable and justice will be served.¡±


    One of the reporters gestured to ask a question. Queen Elissa nodded to her.


    ¡°You were baring your fangs at Kihani as you approached her. Was it your intent to bite her?¡± the reporter asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never bitten anyone¡­ in anger,¡± he unconsciously nced at Elissa then blushed furiously. The Queen was a little flustered and looked out the window. The reporters all had wide grins on their faces. A second one had a question.


    ¡°The footage shows you leapt into the canal without pausing. Were you aware of the depth of the water? Are you a good swimmer?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t even think about how deep the water was. Thinking about it now I could have really hurt myself if the water had been shallow,¡± he said with a blink. ¡°I used to be a really good swimmer but now with the extra headgear I don¡¯t float as well so I tired out really quickly. If Bal and Gee hadn¡¯t arrived when they did we might not have had this interview.¡±

 46

    Queen Elissa allowed a few more questions but when a reporter boldly slipped in Kihani¡¯s question about the child he and the judge had she scowled and indicated the interview was over.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯d like to say something about that. Sorry, I¡¯m not going to directly answer the question because it¡¯s rude. I¡¯ll be honest. I thought the obsession with ¡®celebrities¡¯ was a human failing. I was really disappointed to find Altarians were afflicted with this issue too. I don¡¯t understand thepulsion to know intimate personal information of people who are basically strangers. Knowing doesn¡¯t make you friends with that person. That¡¯s an illusion and an unhealthy one. There are people I admire but I act on that admiration by respecting their privacy.¡±


    Jack turned his face back to Gwendolyn who cooed as she awoke and he nuzzled her once more. He grinned in delight as a smile appeared on her little face.


    Queen Elissa and Diana guided the reporters out of his room then he was alone with his children. He suddenly realized why Elissa had brought them along. She was showing the Altarian people that she trusted him, the big bad wolf, with her babies. There could be no greater disy of trust and faith than that! When she returned he gave her a look of awe and she knew he¡¯d figured it out.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m Queen,¡± she said quietly with a smile.


    ¡°May I kiss the Queen?¡±


    ¡°May you? I think you¡¯d better!¡± she grinned as she sat on the edge of the bed and leaned in to take her reward.


    When she pulled back they were both panting just a little.


    ¡°Wow! The Queen is very sexy!¡± Jack rumbled.


    Max took that moment to sneeze and the intimacy was lost as they both chuckled.


    ¡°What time is it?¡± Jack asked suddenly. The clock beside the bed indicated it was almost noon! He waste for work!


    ¡°That¡¯s the second reason I¡¯m here. It appears you haven¡¯t been taking your vacation days. Any of them. Both of your offices got in touch with my office and they brought it to my attention. As of today you are on vacation!¡±


    ¡°But- but I don¡¯t need a vacation! I love my job!¡± Jack eximed.


    ¡°We know you love your job and you will love it even more after you¡¯ve taken your legally mandated vacation time,¡± Elissa said patting his knee.


    Jack sagged back against the pillows and cuddled the babies a little more. He snorted out a breath and nodded. ¡°Well¡­ I can handle a week. Shouldn¡¯t be too bad.¡±


    ¡°Four.¡±


    Jack gaped at Elissa. ¡°Four!?!¡± he barked.


    Maximilian and Gwendolyn weren¡¯t impressed with their Dad¡¯s outburst and began to fuss. Elissa reached in and scooped up her children and carried them out towards the living room. She paused at the doorway and looked back.


    ¡°Four weeks. You are not to set foot in either of your offices for four weeks. You may see your coworkers socially, I know you enjoy your movie nights, but no discussing business. They will all report to me if you are viting this rule and that will just extend your vacation time. Is that understood?¡±


    ¡°I know it may sound strange but I feel like I¡¯m being punished.¡± Jackined.


    ¡°You¡¯re not. This actually helps defuse the public¡¯s unease as we are spinning today¡¯s little emotional outburst as a symptom of your fatigue. Your work record is public knowledge. The people will see that you haven¡¯t taken a break in a long time so they will ept you need some downtime. Well, they¡¯d need it at least so they¡¯d expect you to as well. Try to enjoy your time off!¡± With that said and a smile on her face she left.


    Once again, Jack was amazed at how well Queen Elissa took care of her people. She knew he was no danger to the Altarians but she also knew how to ease the instinctive fears of her people. The Altarians were a civilized and reasonable race of beings. Give them a reasonable answer to exin his reaction and they would gratefully ept it. He¡¯d just have to be on his best behavior for a while.


    Four weeks! The longest he¡¯d been away from work was eight weeks but that was during a bad time between jobs back on Earth. His upbringing drove his need for work. The tough times his parents had gone through really honed his work ethic. His father in particr taught him the value of a solid days work. It didn¡¯t really matter what it was as long as you did your best and made a contribution to the improvement of the lives around you. His mother had the same ethic but women had a particrly difficult time finding work on Earth during that time. These were bitter sweet memories for Jack so he gave his head a shake and threw back the sheet to get out of bed.


    That¡¯s when he saw he was naked. All those reporters had been in his bedroom and the only thing between them and his nakedness was a single, thin sheet? He scowled at the bedroom door but smartly thedies were leaving him alone.


    He stepped into the bathroom and took a quick shower as he still felt a little funky from his run. Someone had given him a sponge bath but he needed to be clean. The residual ache from the stun gun gave way to the heat of his shower.


    That taken care of, he dressed casually and left the bedroom.


    Queen Elissa had left with his babies but Diana and SennLann were rxing on the couch. Jack could hear the Phem Kalos female purring from where he stood as Diana massaged the other¡¯s feet.


    Diana¡¯s face was a little flushed as she rubbed her thumbs against the other¡¯s foot pads and gently stroked her fingers over the bridges.


    ¡°Jaaaaaack, Diana¡¯s making my feet feel soooooo gooood,¡± the feline purred.


    He knew Diana¡¯s xenophilia was kicking in as she moved her hands over the Phem Kalos¡¯ feet. He¡¯d left her in a sexually charged state when he left the apartment this morning so he supposed he was at least partially responsible for this.


    There was a high pitched ringing from down the hall and SennLann¡¯s mobile ears twitched and swung in that direction. ¡°FennLann!¡± she squeaked and pulled her feet back from Diana¡¯s hands. She quickly leaned forward and kissed the woman on the lips then shot over the couch to sprint down the hall to get her lover¡¯s call.


    Diana looked after the fleeing female then looked up at Jack with wide desperate eyes.


    ¡°Hello woman,¡± he whispered breathily as he knelt over her on the couch and brought his mouth to hers. Her mouth was demanding and he went with it, giving her as much passion as she was demanding.


    When he pulled back she looked into his eyes and he saw something new in her gaze. A need. He looked at her questioningly.


    ¡°The fierceness¡­ from earlier¡­ take me. Hard,¡± she whispered as she begged him with her eyes.


    Ah, the rage. She¡¯d had a sh back to one of her previous boyfriends and her confusion of passion vs brutality was in full swing. He couldn¡¯t be cruel to her but he could definitely give her pleasure hard and fast. He could give her what she needed without giving her what she¡¯d had.


    Jack sat up quickly and pulled her to her knees. He spun her around and took a grip on the luxurious hair on the back of her head and pushed her down onto the arm of the couch. This left her ass sticking up in the air.


    With his other hand he yanked down her yoga pants and panties. She squealed at his rough handling and he gave her ass a quick couple of ps, one for each cheek. She gasped at the stinging and her head went back. He pushed it back down and rubbed her wet pussy lips with his other hand. He felt her fingers rubbing her clit in circles. She was dripping wet and moaning loudly as she pushed back against his fingers. He licked them clean then shoved them deeply into her pussy. Up came her head again as she wailed out her pleasure. She needed no further forey so he released her hair, yanked down his shorts and underwear and wiped her juices over his cock.


    Diana looked back at him with a hot look then howled when he drove his cock deep into her pussy in one hard thrust. He gripped her hair once more and pulled her head back as he mmed himself deep again and again. The wet p of his pelvis against her ass showed how wet she¡¯d be. He slid a hand up under her shirt and squeezed her breast, tugging her nipple roughly through her bra.


    ¡°FUUUUCK! OH JACK! FUCK ME!¡± Diana cried out.


    He ducked his head down next to hers and growled menacingly in her ear as he rubbed his horns against the side of her head. He felt her immediate response as her pussy mped down on his cock. It worked for the Altarians and apparently it worked for Diana as well.


    ¡°AAAAHHHHHH!!!¡± she screamed as her orgasm shook through her catching Jack off guard. He didn¡¯t expect her to reach release just yet and he was a ways off. He ground against her and her body tremored and shook through the aftershocks. He felt her trying to pull away so he slipped himself out of her and she slumped to the cushions of the couch.


    He kissed her cheek and she smiled with her eyes closed.


    Jack walked into his bedroom and cleaned himself up in his washroom. When he returned to the living room SennLann was sitting on a chair watching Diana. She¡¯d pulled a nket up over the woman. When Jack caught her bleak expression he gestured for her to follow him out onto the patio. He sat on a chair and SennLann took the other one across from him.

 47

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened? Is FennLann ok?¡± Jack blurted.


    ¡°FennLann is dead to me,¡± she murmured.


    Jack¡¯s body jolted. ¡°FennLann is DEAD!?!¡±


    ¡°No, I said he was dead to me. It is not the same thing. Well¡­ not exactly the same,¡± she said with a frown.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°FennLann¡¯s father and his councillors were killed when their transport was struck by lightning as they flew through the mountains. The bodies are recovered. The King is dead.¡±


    ¡°Long live the Queen?¡± he said carefully.


    ¡°She will be buried with her husband. If she is lucky she has already taken poison.¡±


    Jack shuddered at the implication. ¡°Does this mean FennLann is going to be King? Will he be able to change those ancientws so you can be together?¡±


    SennLann looked at him with sadness in her eyes. ¡°No. He will be King but he called to tell me he will no longer being to Altaria. He is to be wed to the daughter of one of his new councillors within the day. He said our future is¡­ gone. He has shunned me.¡±


    ¡°Oh SennLann, I am so sorry!¡±


    ¡°He did have a message for you. If my child is born male you are to kill it. There can be no illegitimate children of the King.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!?! I WILL DO NO SUCH THING!¡±


    ¡°If you do not then Phem Kalos and Altaria will go to war until either the King or the child is dead,¡± she said sadly.


    ¡°THAT¡¯S INSANE! FennLann would kill his own son?¡± Jack eximed.


    ¡°As King, he must and¡­ would. Huhnnn!¡± SennLann convulsed.


    ¡°What? What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°The baby is arriving. Too soon,¡± she grunted.


    Jack leapt to his feet and opened the patio door. ¡°DIANA! Call for an ambnce NOW!¡±


    The woman jolted awake and looked at him in panic. ¡°Bring me them!¡± he called out then turned back to SennLann. She was slumped back in the chair with her hands on her belly.


    Diana stumbled out onto the patio with them in her hand. He snatched it away and called for an ambnce and gave directions. ¡°Diana, make sure the front door isn¡¯t locked. Let the paramedics in when they get here.¡± She nced at the Phem Kalos female as fluids gushed from her. ¡°Diana! Go!¡± She broke free from her panic and headed back inside.


    Jack knelt between the spread legs of SennLann. ¡°What do I do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never had a baby before!¡± she growled.


    ¡°I guess they never gave you any sex education sses in school.¡± Jack growled.


    ¡°Phem Kalos females don¡¯t go to school.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°HHUUUHHNNNN!¡± she moaned loudly and not knowing what else to do he ced his hands between her legs. Secondster he was holding arge, wet, gooey mass.


    SennLann was panting but looked relieved to have expelled the mass. Jack noticed it was moving gently. He held it closer to her face when she gestured for him to do so. She licked it then bit the edge of the sac and it tore open gushing its contents over her chest.


    Jack caught the two small wet bodies before they slipped off of SennLann¡¯s chest with the fluids. He braced each with a hand on SennLann¡¯s chest.


    She looked down in shock. ¡°Two?!?¡±


    Jack smiled. ¡°Congrattions, you have twin¡­ girls. That¡¯s a relief!¡±


    SennLann began licking the faces of the babies and they wiggled weakly in protest.


    A team of medics burst out onto the patio but stopped before they stepped in the slick fluids on the floor.


    ¡°Hold on tight to them. I¡¯m going to lift you.¡± Jack said to SennLann and she wrapped her arms around the babies. He slipped his arms under her and lifted her onto the medic¡¯s gurney.


    ¡°I¡¯ll meet you at the hospital SennLann! I¡¯ll be right there.¡± He called out as the medics rushed her out the door. Diana stood by the door looking lost.


    Jack wiped his feet as best he could then started for his bedroom. ¡°Diana! Come with me, please.¡±


    He pulled off his clothes and stepped into his shower. The woman stood in the bathroom until he gestured for her to get undressed. He then took her hand and led her into the shower with him. They quickly rinsed off and got clean. They dried off and went into the bedroom to get dressed. He realized he had very few casual clothes. He decided he would have to make a quick trip to Earth to do some shopping. Something to do on his time off he supposed.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Jack! Ipletely froze! I was useless to you,¡± she apologized as they took the lift to the ground floor.


    ¡°No need to apologize. I yelled instructions at you while you were sleeping. My fault,¡± he replied.


    They pressed a button at the concierge desk in the lobby and walked outside to meet the automated taxi that descended to the driveway. Jack helped Diana in then got in as well.


    ¡°Hospital please.¡±


    ¡°Is this a medical emergency?¡± a voice from the taxi asked.


    ¡°No, but a friend of mine was just rushed to the hospital and needs me to be there as soon as possible.¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°Is this Ambassador Danner?¡± the voice asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he answered.


    ¡°Setting flight mode as priority one. Please sit back.¡±


    No sooner were they seated than the taxi leapt into the air and raced to the hospital. Diana squeezed herself against him as she wasn¡¯t too keen on flying and this vehicle was being very aggressive. Theynded momentster and he thanked the voice as they got out.


    They made their way to the reception area and Jack exined that SennLann was there. He was given directions and they set off to the fourth floor. They met his doctor Jinnae, the hospital¡¯s Chief Physician, who was thrilled to see them again and even happier to have a Phem Kalos female as a patient though there wasn¡¯t much need for doctoring in SennLann¡¯s case. Outside of some lethargy which might have been brought on by exhaustion from thebor she seemed to be in good health.


    Jinnae pulled Diana in for some tests as Jack went into the room where SennLann was resting. The female was lying back on the bed and there were two small incubator beds next to her, one for each infant. Jack took a look at them first and noticed they were fussing weakly. The monitors were showing erratic readings. It seemed wrong to see them apart so he opened the incubators and carefully lifted one small form and moved it to the other incubator next to its sister. Once they were in contact both settled and restedfortably. The monitors in the empty incubator were t lined but the other one showed a distinct improvement.


    A nurse entered the room. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°They need to be together. Don¡¯t separate them.¡± Jack said pointing to the screen.


    ¡°The doctor needs both on a monitoring system. That means one per incubator,¡± the nurse insisted but Jack wouldn¡¯t budge. She left to find the Chief Physician.


    Jack turned back to the babies and they seemed to be sleepingfortably. He looked over at SennLann and saw she was watching him through the slits of her eyelids. She wasn¡¯t looking so good. He moved to her side.


    ¡°You¡¯ll take good care of my children, won¡¯t you.¡± SennLann said to him with a dull voice.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jack was immediately on edge at her tone.


    ¡°Promise me.¡±


    ¡°WE will take good care of your children.¡± Jack insisted.


    ¡°I have no ce in this world. I¡¯ve been cut loose.¡± SennLann¡¯s voice was dropping to a whisper.


    Jack realized she was giving up because her mate had abandoned her. He was watching her slip away and it terrified him that she could do this. She was willing herself into death!


    He remembered seeing FennLann symbolically biting SennLann and when Jack had asked her about it she just shrugged as said she was his. Now he¡¯d tossed her away. To be King of his people. He probably knew this was going to happen! Suddenly Jack was filled with rage and desperation. He pressed his lips tight against her temple and spoke to her in a deep growl.


    ¡°SennLann, have you forgotten who you TRULY belong to? Didn¡¯t FennLann lose to me in battle? Didn¡¯t he offer you over to me? Have you FORGOTTEN YOU¡¯RE MINE?¡±


    Then Jack did something he¡¯d never done to any living being ever in his life. He stretched his jaws as wide as he could and he mped down on the female¡¯s skull. He felt her body jolt and go absolutely still. Not even the slightest movement. Her heart rate, however, increased rapidly.


    Then she began to purr.


    He heard a gasp and the squeak of a stifled screaming from the doorway. He held up his hand to stop them from moving and gently disengaged his teeth from the Phem Kalos. He remembered he had to lick her where his teeth had been so he did that, causing a surge in her purring, then he pulled back. Bright gold eyes locked in his and her purring got much louder.


    ¡°WE will take care of OUR babies. IS. THAT. UNDERSTOOD?¡± he growled deeply at her.


    She nodded rapidly and her body was trembling with joy.


    ¡°Rest. I have to speak with the doctor and the nurse. I¡¯ll find out when I can take you home.¡±


    He walked over to the two Altarians standing in the doorway frozen in shock. He gestured for them to move out into the hall and they quickly did. When the door closed he looked at them in exasperation.


    ¡°Would you two please stop looking like I¡¯m going to eat you? That¡¯s ridiculous!¡± heined.


    Jinnae got her voice back first. ¡°You¡­ ah¡­ bit the Phem Kalos¡­ on her face!¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a bite. That was a hold. I held her face in my teeth. Trust me, it¡¯s a much different thing. Especially for the Phem Kalos. Her mate just abandoned her. She¡¯d given up. I might have lost her. I had to remind her that she belongs to me¡­ wait¡­ that came out wrong.¡±


    The doctor¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°The lethargy! She wasn¡¯t exhausted! She¡¯d lost the will to live but you saved her! Fascinating!¡±


    The nurse was still eying him cautiously. ¡°What about the incubators?¡±


    ¡°The twins were distressed by being separated. I don¡¯t know why but I know that when I put them back together they rxed and the distress went away. If you can have two monitors on one incubator that would be best but don¡¯t separate them.¡± He turned to Jinnae. ¡°When can I take them home?¡±

 48

    ¡°Tomorrow morning would be best,¡± Jinnae said. ¡°I want to confirm the children havepleted their gestation period. The mother indicated they were early.¡±


    He nodded to the two then entered SennLann¡¯s room again. Bright gold eyes tracked him across the room until he stood beside the bed.


    ¡°The doctor is going to release you and the children in the morning. I will pick you up then.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    She nodded staring up at him with a slight smile on her lips.


    ¡°You seemed surprised to have twins. Are they umon?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I have never heard of twins being born to the Phem Kalos. We have single births only.¡± She looked up at him with a nervous expression.


    ¡°Well, they¡¯re beautiful, like their mother. The doctor is just going to run some scans to make sure they have developed fully since you mentioned they are early.¡± He looked at her. ¡°How early were they?¡±


    ¡°A full day!¡±


    ¡°A day. Just one. On a gestation period of a little over six months.¡± He stared at SennLann with exasperation. ¡°I think they will be fine.¡±


    ¡°What are their names?¡± SennLann sat up and looked at him eagerly. His eyebrows went up.


    ¡°Uh, I wasn¡¯t expecting to have toe up with names for them,¡± he said hesitantly.


    ¡°You have imed them, so you must name them,¡± she insisted. More uneasiness for Jack.


    ¡°The Phem Kalos seem to have very structured names, SennLann du Kess for instance. I don¡¯t know how this structure works so picking a name that follows-¡±


    ¡°Do not use Phem Kalos names for the children. They are not from Phem Kalos. They are the first of us to be born on another! They deserve something new!¡±


    Jack grinned. ¡°Ok. I will think on it tonight and have something by tomorrow.¡± He dipped his face down and kissed SennLann. She purred as he pulled back. ¡°You get some sleep and I will see you in the morning.¡±


    ¡°I must feed the babies before I sleep. Could you bring them to me?¡± she smiled up at him.


    He nodded and lifted one and held it up to his face. It really did have the sweetest face. He set the child down on SennLann¡¯s chest and went back for the other. He thought this one¡¯s face was slightly more heart shaped than her sister¡¯s. He had something to work with in identifying them with new names. He set the child on the other side of SennLann and both babies began feeding.


    It took around fifteen minutes for them to get their fill and SennLann was fading so Jack carried the twins back to the incubator and left the three beauties sleeping. He left and found Diana talking with the Chief Physician.


    ¡°Ah, Jack! I was just telling Diana that her baby is doing very well. Less than three months to go!¡± Jinnae said.


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!¡± Jack said with a wide grin. He walked over and gave Diana a hug and kiss and he felt the woman rx in his arms. He pulled back to give her a questioning look but she just shrugged it off with a smile. He turned back to the doctor. ¡°SennLann told me the children were born a day early.¡±


    ¡°A day? That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°Yup, so¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll still check but that shouldn¡¯t have much of an impact on their development,¡± Jinnae said with a frown.


    Jack nodded with a smile. ¡°Can I take this one home now?¡± he said with his arm around Diana¡¯s shoulders. The doctor nodded and smiled in return. She set off to look in on her three new patients.


    As Jack walked Diana back down to the lobby he looked her in the eye. ¡°What was that before?¡±


    ¡°What was what?¡± she replied.


    ¡°You were all tense when I hugged you.¡±


    She blushed and looked away. ¡°It was nothing.¡±


    ¡°No. Talk to me.¡± He stopped in the hall and took her hands in his.


    She hesitated then looked down as she spoke. ¡°The doctor told me how you saved SennLann. How you told her she belonged to you.¡±


    He shifted from foot to foot in his embarrassment. ¡°It was a Phem Kalos thing. I saw FennLann doing it with her and saw how it seemed tofort her. She was slipping away. I was terrified she was going to die. I didn¡¯t want to lose her.


    ¡°Sometimes¡­ sometimes I need to be bitten too.¡± Diana said meekly.


    Jack nced at the nurse who overheard Diana¡¯sment as she passed by and saw the woman was looking at him with wide nervous eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a figure of speech!¡± he said to her and the female rushed away leaving behind the scent of her spicy musk.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home before I¡¯m used of being a serial biter!¡± he moaned.


    Jack managed to go for a good and uneventful run the next morning though he realized his runners were shot from the previous days dunking in the canal.


    When he got back Diana joined him in the shower and he took her hard and fast from behind pressing her against the wall. She was particrly energetic that morning. He yfully bit her on the shoulder with a growl afterwards and for the rest of the morning she was walking around with a content, satisfied smile on her face. He could only shake his head at her behavior. He went to the hospital and brought SennLann home with the girls.


    Queen Elissa and Karrel visited in the afternoon for an informal naming ceremony. He asked for their patience as he arranged a call to FennLann. Once connected he brought up the video on his disy in the living room. Jack had SennLann wait in the bedroom doorway out of the camera¡¯s range.


    ¡°Hello Jack Danner! Greetings Queen Elissa and Karrel, Diana Haven. To what do I owe this honor?¡±


    Jack spoke first. ¡°First off we¡¯d like to give you our condolences for the loss of your father.¡± FennLann smiled and nodded so he wasn¡¯t in too much pain from that.


    ¡°Second, I suppose a congrattions is in order. I understand you¡¯re now the King of Phem Kalos.¡± A broader smile and a nod from FennLann again. ¡°Also a congrattions on your wedding.¡± FennLann¡¯s face broke into a full grin on this one and Jack had to grit his teeth to keep the smile on his face.


    ¡°It¡¯s been an eventful week for you.¡± Jack said calmly.


    ¡°Indeed it has!¡± FennLann smiled.


    ¡°SennLann gave me your message yesterday.¡±


    FennLann¡¯s smile froze. He carefully adjusted his facial muscles into something resembling a neutral expression. ¡°Was it mal-¡±


    ¡°Female.¡±


    Jack saw the relief sweep through the frame of the Phem Kalos ruler. ¡°good¡­ good¡­¡± he murmured to himself and looked back at the screen.


    ¡°You shed yourself of all responsibility for SennLann yesterday. You¡­ shunned her.¡± Jack said with a carefully controlled voice.


    FennLann must have picked up something as his eyes showed wariness. ¡°It is the Phem Kalos way.¡±


    ¡°You knew what this would do to her-¡±


    ¡°IT IS THE PHEM KALOS WAY!¡±


    ¡°Did you forget that you lost her inbat to me? Did you forget this?¡± Jack asked as he lifted the amulet FennLann had awarded him from inside his shirt.


    FennLann¡¯s mouth worked but he couldn¡¯t speak. He gave himself a shake. ¡°But I was with her in your home! You made no objection! Did this not mean you rejected her?¡±


    ¡°NO! I didn¡¯t object because you made her happy and what I wanted for SennLann was to be happy! She was no longer yours yet you acted like she was. Again, this made her happy. What you did yesterday voided ANY im you have on her or her offspring.¡±


    He looked offended. ¡°Of course it does. That was its purpose. As I said it is the Phem Kalos way.¡± FennLann was getting control of himself back. ¡°I am sorry for your loss as well.¡±


    ¡°Hold that thought.¡± Jack gestured for SennLann to enter the room and to stand next to him, holding the twins.


    If FennLann¡¯s eyes could have poppedpletely out of his head in surprise they would have. Not only was SennLann still alive but she was holding¡­ two children. ¡°Two?¡± he squeaked.


    ¡°Twins. My twins. May I present Adina and Zaina Danner, citizens of Altaria.¡± He¡¯d have to confirm thatst part with the Queen but it had juste to him and it felt right. SennLann was purring loudly and FennLann must have heard this. He looked shaken.


    ¡°There haven¡¯t been Phem Kalos twins since the beginnings of our recorded history. This means-¡± he began.


    ¡°Checkmate.¡±


    FennLann jolted and looked at Jack, puzzled at first, then it sunk in. Jack had introduced him to the Earth game Chess and he¡¯d be very frustrated at not being able to master it. Quite frankly, he sucked at it and much preferred Arm Wrestling. In this meeting he was King and he was facing a Queen and her Knight. He¡¯d already admitted he¡¯d sacrificed his pawn. There was nothing for him to do.


    ¡°Well yed Jack.¡± He paused to get control over himself. ¡°Much happiness to you¡­ and your family. Queen Elissa, Karrel, Diana Haven.¡± The line disconnected.


    Jack turned to his guests sitting on the couch.


    ¡°Next time you¡¯ll inform me BEFORE you potentially drag us into a war!¡± Queen Elissa barked at him.


    ¡°Mother, there was no way FennLann would have gone to war. Jack was right when he said Checkmate.¡± Karrel said with admiration in her voice. Unlike FennLann, Karrel took to Chess immediately. She also cleaned Jack¡¯s clock each time they yed. Truth be told he didn¡¯t much care for the game either.


    ¡°My apologies Queen Elissa but I needed to ensure he wouldn¡¯t pull any stupid moves to get control of the twins. As he confirmed, they are beyond rare and likely highly valued. Considering how poorly the Phem Kalos treat their women I had no idea what that would have meant for them. By formally acknowledging he had no im to them in front of you I took that threat from the table.¡± Jack said and bowed respectfully to her.


    ¡°Adina and Zaina Danner. Why does only one of them have yourst name?¡± Karrel asked.


    ¡°No, they both have Danner as ast name. It¡¯s just a less awkward way to say it. Less repetition. Adina Danner and Zaina Danner.¡± Jack exined. ¡°Can they get Altarian citizenship?¡± Jack asked the Queen.


    ¡°Unless the children were born within an embassy¡¯s walls, within its sovereign territory, Altarian citizenship is automatically granted,¡± she answered. ¡°Where were they born?¡±

 49

    Diana pointed to the patio. ¡°Out there.¡±


    ¡°Well that counts as Altarian property.¡± Elissa smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for their records to show their citizenship. Tell me Jack, what¡¯s the significance of the names?¡±


    ¡°Both are Earth names that mean ¡®beautiful¡¯. Theye from different cultures that never found peace together. Seeing the two babies only at peace when they were together made me think of them for some reason,¡± he said looking fondly at the sleeping infants in SennLann¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Have you thought of what you are going to do with your off time?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. I haven¡¯te up with anything fun yet. There are things I need to do like shop for clothes. I¡¯m thinking of a quick trip to Earth to hit a few stores.¡±


    Karrel shared a nervous look with her mother. ¡°Isn¡¯t that something you can order online?¡±


    ¡°I really need new runners and I¡¯d like to see what they have and try some different ones on. This isn¡¯t something I can do online. The running shirts and shorts will be a quick purchase. I need casual clothes as all I have are work clothes and shorts. All of this is the kind of stuff you find at a mall. It will only take an afternoon. I can slip in and out, no fuss, no drama. Just a little shopping.¡±


    ¡°Not without a security detail.¡± Elissa said firmly.


    ¡°Do you know how much attention Altarians draw on Earth?¡± Jackined.


    ¡°Non-negotiable,¡± she said with finality.


    Jack sighed. ¡°Sure, ok. Can we do it tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the sooner the better. Don¡¯t give anyone time to n something,¡± the Queen agreed.


    ¡°You make it sound like there¡¯s some evil group of conspirators waiting to pounce on me!¡± Jack snorted.


    Elissa shared a look with Karrel and Jack caught it. His eyebrows went up.


    ¡°What was that? Is there something you know and are keeping from me?¡± Jack blurted.


    ¡°No, Hellna¡¯s team keeps a close watch on the, looking for patterns such as the one that led to her stopping the Sinosian assassin. We don¡¯t know of any current plots against you but it has happened in the past and you tend to dismiss the possibility too readily. You¡¯re important and not just to us!¡± the Queen answered.


    Jack looked at the women who were all looking back at him. His shoulders dropped in defeat. ¡°Right. I¡¯m sorry for dismissing your concerns. I will be careful. I wouldn¡¯t even go if there was a reasonable alternative.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Jack.¡± Elissa said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll call Hellna to make the arrangements for your security detail.¡±


    He nodded and sat on the chair facing the couch. SennLann quickly crawled up on hisp and proceeded to feed her babies. Thedies on the couch all smiled at his surprised look. The visit settled into the normal pattern of talking about their kids. Diana would soon have her own to talk about and she shared a smile with Jack.


    Jack was actually rather excited to be visiting Earth again. While hisst few visits hadn¡¯t been so pleasant, he still felt a connection to the. He could visit any of therger malls for what he needed so he informed the security team of this and left the selection up to them.


    Unlike many worlds in the Inteary Gate Network, Earth had multiple gates. It was a hub. The reason for this had something to do with the contribution Earth originally made to thework. It also meant he could enter a gate on warm Altaria and exit into one of several equally warm locations on Earth. As he was wearing a t-shirt, shorts, runners, and his hoodie (to cover his horns) selecting a warm destination just made sense.


    Jack waited at the gate terminal for his escort. The terminal staff had orders not to allow him through any of the gates unapanied. He smiled at the obvious work of the Queen.


    Four ck furred Altarians walked in the terminal entrance and made their way over to Jack. He recognized Gee and Bal but the other two¡­ nope. No recollection of them.


    ¡°Hi Gee, Bal. Who¡¯re your shadows?¡± he asked with a smirk at his own cleverness.


    His ¡®usual escorts¡¯ were familiar with his informality with them so they ignored the question and moved him to the Customs and Security agent desk. He gave her the details of the trip and they were assigned a gate to pass through. The group went down the hall to the gate. Therge mirror surface showed him surrounded by dark shadows. He pointed at their reflection.


    ¡°You see this? I thought we were supposed to be inconspicuous! That isn¡¯t happening if we walk around the mall looking like this. Couldn¡¯t you have worn disguises?¡±


    Bal and Gee each took a hand and pulled him forward through their reflection. A brief tingleter they were walking up to the customs desk for government officials. It would have taken them much longer to get through the general traffic line.


    ¡°Wee to Earth, Las Vegas Gate Terminal. Name, Department, and reason for your visit please,¡± the agent behind the ss said.


    ¡°Las Vegas? How did they get a gate?¡± Jack thought. ¡°Jack Danner, Altarian Ambassador, personal shopping trip.¡±


    ¡°Your hood please. Remove it,¡± the agent¡¯s voice said ndly.


    Jack forgot he was wearing it so he reached up and pushed it back.


    ¡°Geez- excuse me. You said this was a personal trip?¡± the man said not even trying to stop himself from staring at therge ck horns growing from Jack¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°Yes, there are no human clothing stores on Altaria. So I shop on Earth. Where the clothes are.¡±


    ¡°Right. How about these¡­ people.¡±


    ¡°They are my security escort. They fall under my diplomatic authority and I ept responsibility for them.¡±


    The agent looked at him then turned back to his terminal and four tracker bands slid out of the slot on the desk. Jack handed them out and they quickly disappeared into pockets.


    ¡°They¡¯re supposed to wear them,¡± the agent blurted.


    ¡°I take that under my diplomatic authority too. Have a lovely day.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s night.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Well, good evening then.¡±


    Jack and his four escorts made their way out of the terminal and indeed it was night. He could tell by the small patches of ck sky he could see between the shes of holographic advertising for the casinos. He looked at Bal.


    ¡°Why the hell did we go to Las Vegas?¡±


    ¡°A night cycle location with an open mall should be quieter,¡± she exined.


    Jack stared back at the agent with an incredulous look. ¡°Do you understand what Las Vegas is? There is no quiet time here.¡± Jack growled then shook his head. He was drawing looks from the crowded night time streets so he flipped up his hood and headed off towards the huge signs indicating the mall was in that direction.


    He really didn¡¯t want to be in Vegas. He¡¯d worked here a long time ago. He¡¯d been eighteen¡­ no, neen at the time. On his own for a number of years by that point but now able to take on jobs legally. He¡¯d actually had a number of jobs in this town. From dishwasher in one of the smaller casino¡¯s kitchen, housekeeping in one of therger hotels, then moved by his manager into a regrettable stint as pool boy at the hotel¡¯s spa. He¡¯d had to flee the city when one of thedies at the spa got a little frisky and had her way with him in a cabana. He had no idea the woman was the wife of one of the casino bosses. Word got out and his manager took pity on him and gave him a five hour head start. He lost his meager savings but he wasn¡¯t buried in a shallow grave in the desert so he considered that he came out ahead. He hadn¡¯t told anyone about this but he hadn¡¯t ever expected toe back either.


    The Las Vegas of his initial visit looked nothing like the present day but this was a city that reinvented itself on a constant basis. Buildings came and went and the only constant was change.


    The group made their way down the strip ignoring the siren calls of the casino¡¯s that lined the street. They ignored the street level entertainment of the Buskers and the invitations from the prostitutes. They bypassed the stalls where the scents of exotic foods cooking wafted out, though Jack¡¯s mouth salivated a little. OK, more than a little.


    Finally they reached the entrance to the mall and pushed inside. The crowds inside were a little smaller but the press of humanity was beginning to get to Jack. It had been a while since he¡¯d been exposed to so many humans. He shook his head at that thought.


    He spotted a shop with sportswear and made a beeline for it. Once inside the crowd thinned out considerably so he began to rx. He found a number of running shirts, shorts and socks so he picked them up. They had a terrible selection of running shoes but a young male clerk with a multitude of tattoos and piercings took pity on him and told him which shop in the mall to go to for the best selection of running shoes for actual running.


    The clerk kept ncing up at Jack¡¯s hood. As the man had done him a solid he lifted the front of the hood and watched the man¡¯s eyes go wide with shock.


    ¡°OMIGOD, dude! You¡¯re him!¡± the clerk gushed. Jack nced at his name tag.


    ¡°Yes Dane it¡¯s me, but please keep that under your hood until tomorrow morning. It¡¯s almost impossible to get shopping done these days. Thanks for your help!¡±


    ¡°Sure! Sure! Uh, can I- can I get a shot of us together? My Clicki will be so fucking jealous!¡± the young man asked. Jack wasn¡¯t sure what the hell a Clicki was but he¡¯d been away from Earth for some time. Some of the lingo was going to bypass him.


    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± Jack saw they were sheltered from the front of the store by the cash desk so he flipped the hood back and the clerk grinned madly.


    ¡°I¡¯m so freaking spent!¡± Dane gushed.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, right?¡± Jack smiled and Dane got his shot.N?velDrama.Org content.


    Jack flipped the hood back up and picked up his bags. Dane shook his hand and wished him luck.


    Once he was back in the mall Gee maneuvered herself closer. ¡°Do you n on disying yourself to everyone you meet? You are supposed to be keeping a low profile!¡± she hissed.


    ¡°Said one of my four ck shadows,¡± he retorted.


    Gee growled and moved off a distance to track the crowd.


    Following the directions Dane gave him they made their way across the mall. He stopped in a shop to buy some jeans, some khakis, three casual shirts, and some underwear. Finally he found the running shoe store. He went to move inside but arge man suddenly barred his way. ¡°The store is temporarily closed. Come ba-¡± the man began then his eyes went wide as he saw inside the hood. He whispered something into a wrist mic, listened, then stood aside. Bal stepped up to him, gave him a once over, and moved inside first. Momentster Gee tapped Jack¡¯s hip and he went inside with a nod to the man who was obviously someone¡¯s security.


    Jack saw the variety of running shoes offered here and a satisfied grin spread over his face. He began to work his way along the shoes disyed on the wall. Some were just gimmicks but some of them had some serious engineering behind them. He was so engrossed he missed the fact that he was being watched.

 50

    He reached for another one but a woman¡¯s hand was on it before him. He nced to the side and saw a young woman dressed in white leggings, a white yoga top, and white hoodie. She had blonde hair, lots of it, and a pretty face and she was staring at him expectantly.


    ¡°Hi, do you work here?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You have no idea who I am do you?¡± the woman said. Her voice was a little gravelly/squeaky. Maybe she had a cold?


    ¡°Sorry no. I guess you aren¡¯t one of the clerks then,¡± he said.


    ¡°Nope, not a clerk. I know who you are though,¡± she said with a smirk.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m trying not so sessfully to go incognito.¡± He gestured towards his horns. ¡°These things make that rather difficult. You¡¯re here with the security guards? They¡¯re yours?¡± He¡¯d noted three otherrge men in suits while they talked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said with a challenging look.


    ¡°I don¡¯t follow celebrity news, I don¡¯t watch much Earth based TV, and I¡¯ve been out of the loop for some time. So it¡¯s no reflection on your poprity or sess. Are you shopping for runners too?¡±


    She finally gave in and nodded. ¡°I try to get in a run as often as I can. I¡¯m Meagan. Meagan Lane.¡± She smiled as she waited for a look of recognition to bloom on his face but he just smiled.


    ¡°Jack Danner.¡± He held out his hand and they shook. He looked around. ¡°Is there a clerk in the shop? I¡¯d really like to try these on,¡± he said holding up the highly engineered runners.


    ¡°Are they good?¡± she asked as she waved at the woman waiting by the cash desk.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when I¡¯ve tried them on,¡± he replied with a grin.


    The woman with the name tag saying Vicki rushed up to them and once she got a look at who was standing next to her favorite celebrity it looked like she was going to hyperventte.


    ¡°Vicki? Take a nice slow breath. I¡¯m just another dumb customer looking to try on a shoe. Do you have these in a size ten and a half?¡± he asked gently.


    Vicki took a few deep breaths and did look better. She smiled weakly at him and took the shoe he was holding to go into the back room.


    ¡°How do you deal with this kind of reaction all the time?¡± Jack asked Meagan as he sat on a bench.


    ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯ve seen you on TV dealing with it too! You were just being chased by one of those gossip show hosts.¡± Meagan smiled and sat next to him.


    ¡°That was shown on Earth?¡± She nodded. ¡°That was just once. For the most part Altarians don¡¯t behave like that. Most will just smile at you and let you go on your way.¡± Jack insisted.


    ¡°How do you know if you¡¯re famous or not?¡± Meagan asked.


    ¡°Who wants to be famous?¡± Jack asked with a visible shudder. Meagan looked at him thoughtfully.


    Vicki returned with a shoebox and helped Jack put the runners on. He bounced on his toes and jogged up and down the aisle a few times.


    ¡°Ooo, these are wonderful! How many more do you have in ten and a half?¡± he asked.


    Vicki blinked. ¡°Uh, I believe we have three more.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take all of them.¡± Jack replied. ¡°Do you have a woman¡¯s version of this model?¡±


    Vicki nodded and went to the wall of women¡¯s shoes and returned with it. It wasn¡¯t as fancy looking as the others and Meagan raised her eyebrow skeptically at Jack.


    ¡°Try it on. What have you got to lose?¡± he suggested.


    ¡°A size six please.¡± Meagan said still looking at Jack who sat and put his new shoes back in their box. Heced up his old shoes.


    ¡°How¡¯s your singing voice Jack?¡± Meagan asked suddenly.


    ¡°Terrible! Well, not bad in the shower but¡­ no it¡¯s bad there too,¡± he grinned.


    ¡°It would be a lot of fun getting you up on stage.¡± Meagan said contemtively.


    ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s not going to happen.¡± He pointed to his face. ¡°Attention phobic.¡±


    Gee approached them. ¡°Jack, we should move on. There is a crowd forming outside in the hallway.¡± The Altarian turned to the woman. ¡°Ms. Lane, it is an honor to meet you. My partner and I enjoy your music very much. I wish you a speedy recovery for your vocal cords.¡±


    Meagan looked at Jack with a pleased smile as he gaped at his bodyguard.


    Vicki returned with arms loaded with boxes. She looked at the Altarian and wobbled a little on her feet.


    Jack caught her elbow and gently sat her on the bench. He carried the four pairs of shoes over to the cashier¡¯s station and Vicki¡¯s star struck coworker ran the transaction for him.


    He carried his bags back over to where Meagan was tucking the size sixes into their box. Vicki was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°OK, you were right. They were really good! I¡¯m getting all the size sixes they have.¡± Meagan admitted.


    ¡°I have to go but it was really nice to meet you. I also hope your throat heals quickly.¡± Jack said.


    ¡°Hey, I feel weird asking this because I¡¯m usually on the other end of the question but could I get a shot of us together?¡± the woman asked timidly.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Could you¡­¡± she pointed up at his hoodie.


    Where they were standing was a little too exposed. ¡°How about back by the cash desk. It¡¯s not so visible.¡± he pointed out.


    Vicki returned and they all walked over to the cashier station. With a final look around Jack pushed the hood back. Vicki and her coworker gasped. Meagan just looked up and froze.


    ¡°Oh god, they¡¯re¡­ real,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°And very, very sharp so avoid the points,¡± he mentioned as the women automatically began reaching to touch them.


    Three hands rubbed the surface of his horns until he began to feel a little weird about it and gently pulled back. Comms came out and everyone was taking pictures. Of Jack, of Meagan, of Jack and Meagan, of Vicki and Brenda with the celebs. Finally Gee returned to Jack¡¯s side.


    ¡°We must leave NOW,¡± she said.


    Jack caught the tension in his bodyguard¡¯s voice so he tied his shopping bags together and turned to the clerks.


    ¡°Vicki, could I ask you to get all of these packages delivered to the Gate Terminal and shipped to me?¡± Jack asked and Gee handed her a card that would pay for the delivery.


    The woman nodded with a huge smile. Jack nodded to thedies and followed Gee to the front doors. There was arge crowd gathered there so they moved back into the store.


    ¡°Is there a back way out of this store?¡± Bal asked. Brenda led then to the back room and opened the door to the employee ess way. With a final nod they headed down the hall at a brisk pace.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we moving away from the Gate Terminal?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°We are going to have to go around. There were some people in the crowd who appeared to be soldiers. Not by their clothes but by how they moved and watched the store and the crowd,¡± Gee exined.


    One of the other bodyguards returned from scouting ahead. ¡°We cannot go further, the way ahead is blocked by some of those soldiers. We will have to cut through here.¡± She pushed through a side door followed by her partner. The hall beyond was dimly lit.


    Jack stepped inside and looked back at Gee. ¡°Where does this lead?¡±


    Gee looked at herm. ¡°A casino. The Gemstone.¡±


    Jack froze causing Bal and Gee to collide with his back.


    A bolt of fear went through Jack. The Gemstone was Maury Levine¡¯s casino. The man who chased Jack from Vegas before. His mind was saying it couldn¡¯t be a coincidence that their only escape route went through this casino.


    ¡°We can¡¯t be here. It¡¯s a trap.¡± Jack spun and pushed Bal and Gee back into the hallway. There was a sudden blinding sh behind Jack. The two agents who¡¯d entered the dark corridor mmed into the wall behind him, broken and bloody. Jack¡¯s body had shielded Gee and Bal so they weren¡¯t blinded and saw themandos racing up the corridor from the side.


    When the electroshock weapon¡¯s darts struck his back Jack had no time to do anything before he was lit up. He fell to the floor, dropping on his face, the world spiraling into a dark pit.


    Queen Elissa¡¯s secretary Veena burst into her office with a frantic expression. Elissa already knew what the news was going to be.


    ¡°Jack¡¯s been abducted!¡± the woman blurted.


    Elissa called Hellna at the Altarian Security Ministry and was put right through. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Hellna¡¯s voice was calm and collected as she gave her report.


    ¡°Two of our agents are dead. Gee and Bal are injured but managed to escape when they saw Jack being taken with non-lethal force. It was an abduction not an assassination. Gee and Bal enlisted the help of a personal security team from a nearby store to help extract them from the location so they could report.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Jack is being tracked?¡±


    ¡°He had three separate active trackers on him and one sleeper. The active ones all went dead thirty minutes after the event.¡±


    ¡°Any identification on who it might have been?¡± Elissa said, calling upon her training to lock down her rising panic.


    ¡°Gee reported that Jack seemed to be aware of the trap before it was sprung. He recognized the name of the casino they were entering and pushed Gee and Bal back out into the service corridor. It was lucky for them that he did. They spotted the mercenaries attempting to nk them and were able to open fire first. Then Jack was shot with some form of stun weapon from inside the corridor and was rendered unconscious. When he hit the floor the mercenary¡¯s from inside attacked in earnest and the two agents barely managed to escape. Both were shot. They¡¯reing through the gate now. I¡¯m putting a call through to the Minister of Earth¡¯s Security Council. Stay on the line so we can both address him.¡±

 51

    ¡°Minister of Earth Security Council, Mr. Steyn¡¯s office, how may I help you,¡± a voice answered with a crisp professional tone.


    ¡°This is Hellna, the Altarian Security Minister, and I have Queen Elissa of Altaria on the line with me. We need to speak with Mr. Steyn immediately.¡±


    The caller identification system must have confirmed their location as the voice became just a little crisper. ¡°I will connect you now.¡±N?velDrama.Org content.


    Hellna and Elissa endured almost a minute of nd music before it was cut off and a deep voice rough with sleep answered. ¡°Ruan Steyn here. How may I help you this morning?¡±


    ¡°Our Ambassador Jack Danner has been abducted at gunpoint in Las Vegas. Two of his security detail were killed, the other two injured. Mobilize your teams immediately. Begin with the Gemstone Casino where the abduction took ce approximately forty five minutes ago.¡± Hellna said firmly.


    ¡°Mr. Danner has been kidnapped again?¡± Steyn¡¯s voice almost sounded amused.


    ¡°Mr. Steyn, this is Queen Elissa. Please be aware than all trade with Earth will be suspended until our Ambassador is returned safe and sound. Does that rify how seriously we are taking this assault?¡±


    ¡°Perfectly.¡± The amusement was gone.


    ¡°I look forward to hearing your progress on this matter soon.¡± Elissa said and Hellna disconnected.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. We gave no advance notice that Jack was visiting Earth yet amando team was able to abduct him from this random location. Was there anything in the regarding a contract on Jack?¡± Elissa growled.


    ¡°Nothing more than the typical hate mail from the asional social malcontent. Nothing that suggested a team of professionals would be watching.


    ¡°Is there anything we can do from here?¡± Elissa asked Hellna.


    ¡°Just keep the pressure on,¡± Hellna answered.


    Cold water sshed onto his face and Jack woke with a jolt then moaned from the pain of his knotted muscles.


    He blinked and his mind slipped back to thest time he was woken this way. It hadn¡¯t been pleasant.


    ¡°Is he awake?¡± an older voice asked.


    Something sharp jabbed Jack in the side and he cried out. He also realized he was naked. Another unpleasant surprise. Why did they strip him of his clothes? Ah, looking for trackers most likely.


    ¡°Mr. Danner do open your eyes so we may speak face to face.¡±


    Jack cracked his eyes open and he saw he was in a dark room. He couldn¡¯t see the edges of it but the room didn¡¯t sound big.


    A single light from above cast weird shadows.


    In front of him stood Maury Levine. A much, much older version of the man than Jack recalled. He didn¡¯t look well. His skin had a sick yellow tone.


    ¡°Good. I just wanted to meet you in person and let you know this isn¡¯t personal. I¡¯ve watched you doing good things for Earth. I¡¯m a fan but the bounty on you is just too extreme to pass up. I won¡¯t be around much longer and I need to ensure the ones I leave behind are taken care of. It¡¯s just business.¡±


    ¡°And now you feel better?¡± Jack said, teeth chattering from the cold.


    The smile slid from the man¡¯s face. ¡°No, I don¡¯t feel better. I¡¯m dying.¡±


    ¡°That sucks but then so does being abducted.¡± Jack said and Maury¡¯s frown deepened. He realized antagonizing the man who arranged his abduction probably wasn¡¯t a smart move. He sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That was rude. Have you spoken to a Chuuruthian doctor?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like aliens. The only reason I can be in the room with you now is because I know you were once fully human. If I ignore the horns you could still be taken for human. Mostly.¡± Maury said as a shudder went through his weakened frame.


    Great, a xenophobe. That could be bad. ¡°Business, you were saying. Who wanted me abducted? I haven¡¯t heard about anyone being particrly upset with me recently.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the way they wanted it. Keep the snoops from sticking their nose in their business. Even I don¡¯t know who it is. I capture you. I bring you here. I get paid. Well, good luck!¡± He turned to leave.


    ¡°Could I ask you one more question?¡± Jack called out and Maury stopped. ¡°How did you find me? We didn¡¯t announce my visit. It was ast minute decision. I didn¡¯t even know I was going to be in Vegas until we stepped through the gate.¡±


    Maury smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand the nature of Vegas? There are more cameras watching than people know. When a man in a hoodie arrives with ck Altarian escorts who else would it be? You lit up the gambling boards the second you stepped onto the strip. Fortunes were made and lost betting on everything from the purpose of your trip, if you¡¯d take off the hood, and whether or not you¡¯d be able to leave unscathed.¡±


    ¡°Just Lady Luck then.¡± Jack said and Maury grinned.


    ¡°Yeah, ain¡¯t she a bitch. Much like my ex-wife.¡± The man left with his security team. The door they exited in the dark closed with an odd metallic bang. Sheet metal?


    Jack tried to rx. Maury wasn¡¯t nning on killing him at least. He wasn¡¯t sure if thatstment was a reference to the cabana event. He certainly wasn¡¯t going to ask and it didn¡¯t seem to matter now.


    He looked around himself but all he could see was a grey concrete floor with the asional smudge of grease. A garage? The chair he was chained to was bolted to the floor. No matter how hard he rocked it didn¡¯t budge. His bindings showed no loosening after his rocking. If anything they felt a little tighter.


    He listened and heard nothing but silence. He was naked, wet, and cold. Worse, he was alone.


    Shit.


    >>>>


    Gee and Bal were sitting in side by side cubicles in the Emergency wing of the hospital when Hellna burst into the department looking for her agents. Hellna took in the bandages and sighed with relief. She understood the injuries were minor but Gee and Bal were her best operatives and she wanted them on this case.


    When they saw her the two agents got to their hooves but she waved them back down.


    ¡°Report. Has anything else surfaced from your memories of the attack,¡± she asked them.


    Both shook their heads with frowns.


    The doctor joined them and released the agents to Hellna¡¯s care.


    ¡°Come with me,¡± she said as she headed back out to her vehicle. Hellna took the bench with her back to the driver and the agents sat on the seat facing her as the driver got them underway.


    ¡°I¡¯m sending you back to Earth. London Gate Terminus. You¡¯ll meet with the squad Earth¡¯s Security Council Force have put in charge of locating and extracting Jack. You will be special advisors to the team. They have global jurisdiction so localw enforcement will support their efforts. Or should.¡± Gee and Bal nodded soberly.


    She pointed to the seat the two agents were sitting on. ¡°You will find everything you need to restock your supplies in the seat.¡±


    The agents knelt on the floor and flipped up the cushion. Inside was an arsenal. They swapped out the gossamer ck gowns they were wearing with fresh ones from inside thepartment then quickly pocketed the items they needed. They noted the small handguns. Each picked one up and looked back at Hellna who nodded.


    ¡°Earth¡¯s Security Council only epted your presence in an advisory capacity but the Queen has authorized you to carry these and expects you to use them at your discretion. She will support your actions but you know the drill.¡± The guns disappeared into their gowns.


    The vehiclended outside the Gate building and they made their way inside. A brief word with the customs agent and they were walking towards a gate. They stopped just before the threshold.


    ¡°Your contact is Major Cha¡¯Risa Ash. She¡¯ll pick you up on the other side.¡±


    Hellna looked into their eyes. She saw the grim determination there.


    ¡°Bring him home safe,¡± she said. They nodded and stepped through.


    The other side of the gate was arge chamber and the noise from the travellers moving to and fro put Gee and Bal immediately on edge. They scanned the room as they made their way towards the ¡®Government Officials¡¯ Customs desk. A tired looking man with disheveled hair looked at them.


    ¡°Name, Department, and reason for your visit.¡±


    The agents both touched the biometric reader. Gee spoke for them.


    ¡°Gee and Bal. Altarian Security. Here on Earth¡¯s Security Council business.¡±


    The man watched his screen and nodded. He looked back over his desk¡¯s wall and waved to someone.


    Momentster Gee and Bal were looking up into the sharp hazel eyes of a tall, muscr woman. She was wearing ckbat gear, an armored vest with many pockets over that. Weapons were attached to her hip, slung on her back and several knives were strapped to her legs.


    What little skin was exposed was a deep rich brown showing her Native American heritage. She had high cheekbones and a strong nose. Her straight ck hair was braided tightly and bound under her vest.


    The woman sighed when she saw the light and airy gowns they were wearing. ¡°I¡¯m Major Ash. I understand you¡¯re my Altarian ¡®advisors¡¯?¡± Her voice gave away her frustration for being forced to include them on her team. ¡°We¡¯re potentially going into a firefight and you aren¡¯t wearing body armor-¡±


    ¡°Please do not worry about us. We will be fine.¡± Gee said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to be responsible-¡± the Major began again.


    ¡°You are not responsible for us. We are.¡± Bal finished.


    The tall woman stared at the two Altarians in frustration.


    ¡°Please, time is of the essence if we are to find the trail of the mercenary team who abducted Ambassador Danner,¡± Gee insisted.


    With a final scowl Ash spun on her heels and strode quickly across the floor towards another gate, Gee and Bal following immediately behind her.


    A group of people inbat gear were waiting for the Major before the smooth mirror surface of the gate.

 52

    There were four other members in the team. Two almost identical looking men who were just a little shorter than the Major were inspecting their weapons one more time. Their greying hair was cut military short and their cold blue eyes assessed the approaching group quickly dismissing the Altarians as a threat. Standing next to them reading a small tablet was anky red haired woman wearing a minimal augmentation suit. This suit helped her carry and use the heavy, sniper rail gun currently folded up against the chassis of her suit on her back. Next to her was a shorter man whose skin rivaled the Altarian¡¯s fur for ckness. He had the assault weapons too but he was cradling a portable data terminal like a lover.


    The group came to attention when the Major stopped before them. She introduced her team to the Altarians.


    ¡°This is Corporal Leo Orlov and Corporal Maxim Volkov, our assault and demolition specialists. Captain Nann Graf, our recon and suppression specialist. Finally Lieutenant Ray Sharif, ourm tech specialist. People this is¡­¡± she realized she¡¯d forgotten to ask their names.


    ¡°Gee and Bal, Altarian Security Agents.¡± Bal offered.


    ¡°Where is their body armor?¡± Maxim asked.


    ¡°We will be fine. We must begin as soon as we can. The trail is growing cold,¡± Gee insisted.


    ¡°You heard the¡­dy. Let¡¯s go.¡± Ash replied. Maxim and Leo just shared a look and stepped through the gate followed by Nann and Ray. Gee and Bal stepped through closely followed by the Major.


    Then they were in the Las Vegas Gate Terminal once more. The Major addressed the team.


    ¡°Our target was taken from a rear ess corridor behind the Gemstone Casino leading to the mall. A team of armed assants used a shbang to temporarily blind the target¡¯s security team and proceeded to kill two of the agents with shots from their assault weapons.¡± She stared at Gee and Bal to see if they understood her concerns.


    ¡°That is notpletely urate.¡± Gee began and the group turned to look at her. ¡°The location and the use of the shbang is correct but it should be noted that the assants were ex-military, well trained, and well equipped. Their weapons were state of the art and well maintained. Our agents weren¡¯t killed from being shot by assault rifles but rather a grenadeuncher. They had moved too far ahead of Ambassador Danner making the grenadeuncher a more effective means to take them out.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the source of that information?¡± the Major asked with a scowl.


    Gee looked at her. ¡°First hand. We were the two agents who survived the attack.¡±N?velDrama.Org content.


    The group stared back at the Altarians with wide eyes.


    Bal took up the story. ¡°Ambassador Danner recognized the name of the casino and took immediate steps to exit the trap almost before it had been sprung. He protected Gee and I from the sh bang and pushed us out into the service corridor where we observed the group attempting to nk us. We opened fire on them but Ambassador Danner was rendered unconscious. When he was down we began to take fire from the team inside the corridor so we had to retreat. As the weapon used on the Ambassador was non-lethal we identified their purpose was to abduct him and our escaping to report would serve him better.¡±


    The Major was quickly reassessing the value of her ¡®advisors¡¯. ¡°Trackers?¡±


    ¡°Three active ones which all went offline thirty minutes after the abduction. In three different locations within Las Vegas. There is one more tracker which may still be viable. It¡¯s a sleeper. It has a range of around a mile and will activate when it detects an echo pulse.¡±


    ¡°Damn. These are not amateurs. We need arger team, Major.¡± Nannmented.


    ¡°We have permission to call in localw enforcement and any military resources avable in our locale.¡± Ash responded. ¡°First we have to establish a location. I assume we will be visiting the casino?¡±


    Gee nodded. ¡°We might have been directed there considering Jack¡¯s- Ambassador Danner¡¯s response.¡± She avoided looking at the Major after her little slip. Nann traded looks with her boss.


    They made their way outside of the Terminal building and Gee saw a woman outside the barricade waving at her. She recognized the woman as the clerk from thest store. She had Jack¡¯s shopping bags in her other hand.


    ¡°Major Ash, one moment please.¡± Gee said and walked over to speak with the shop clerk who recognized Gee.


    ¡°OMIGOD! Did you find him?¡± Vicki gushed, her face wet with tears.


    ¡°We are hunting for him now. Rest assured we will find him,¡± Gee said to assure the young woman.


    ¡°I- I haven¡¯t been able- they won¡¯t let me-¡± Vickie gestured at the shopping bags helplessly.


    Gee took Vicki¡¯s hand to calm her. ¡°Do you have the card I gave you?¡± The woman nodded. Gee gestured for one of the Gate Security Agents toe over to them.


    ¡°This woman has Altarian Embassy business inside. She is to be given the same courtesy any Altarian courier would be shown. Please escort her inside and guide her back out.¡± The man looked like he was about to protest but Vicki held up the card and the words died on his lips. He held the barricade open for her to step through. Vicki smiled widely at Gee and walked into the building after the man. Gee walked back to the team.


    ¡°What was that about?¡± the Major asked.


    ¡°A courtesy returned,¡± was all Gee would say but Bal nodded.


    They wasted no further time in getting to the Casino entrance. They were met by a group of security personnel and some administrators.


    ¡°I¡¯m Major Ash from Earth¡¯s Security Council Force. Who¡¯s in charge here?¡± she said showing her badge.


    A slight man in a dark grey suit stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯m Walter Jensen, Senior Executive Administrator of Gemstone. How may we be of service?¡± He waved away the security team now that they knew who they were dealing with.


    ¡°Earlier this evening there was an abduction of the Altarian Ambassador in a back corridor of your establishment,¡± the major began.


    ¡°Yes, the police came by to secure the service corridor and to do their investigation. Could we possibly continue this discussion in my office? It will make the customers morefortable without all the hardware on disy.


    The Major nodded and they followed him through the front hall and past the lounge.


    Bal suddenly stopped and gestured to Gee. The two turned and walked into the lounge. Ray followed then Nann. The Major stopped Walter and the rest followed the Altarians into the entrance way of the lounge.


    Bal turned to face the team. ¡°How frequently is this board updated?¡± On one wall of the lounge above the bar was an odds board. A huge disy showing all of the pending events people could bet on. Jack¡¯s name was on the board in several ces. The first one was pretty mundane. ce a bet for the purpose of his visit but further along there was a bet for his ability to leave, alive.


    ¡°When did this first entry go on the board?¡± Gee asked Walter.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Why?¡± he said, definitely looking ufortable.


    ¡°It sets a time line for when our presence in Las Vegas was noted. As the first set of odds are rted to his purpose for visiting it had to be just after our arrival. This means we were made the moment we arrived. It doesn¡¯t exin why Ambassador Danner was abducted but based on the fact that we identified these ex-military mercenaries approximately forty minutes after our arrival it means someone received the notification of our arrival the moment we were identified. The personnel were likely already in ce and our arrival was an opportunity to be taken.¡±


    The Major nodded with that analysis. She nced and nodded at Ray then looked over to Walter. ¡°Who updates the odds board?¡±


    The man was beginning to sweat. ¡°It¡¯s automated. Ites in on a feed from a central data collection center. These odds are in the Celebrity category so thates from news stories and camera feeds. Facial recognition identifies people of interest who arrive and the odds are based on recent events they¡¯ve been involved in. The ¡®What are they here for¡¯ is a low payout introductory bet.¡±


    ¡°But if someone were to set an alert on the system to activate when a particr person arrived, like an Altarian Ambassador, that would lead us to a potential suspect, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± the Major asked the executive who had the deer in the headlights look.


    ¡°Got it Major. It was erased and the system was purged but the backup still had a reference.¡± Raymented looking at his terminal. ¡°Uh, this originated from the Chief Executive¡¯s terminal, a Maury Levine.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Jensen, we¡¯ll need to speak with Mr. Levine,¡± the Major said.


    ¡°That¡¯s, uh, not going to be possible,¡± Walter mumbled.


    ¡°Sure, it is. You tell us where he is and we go to him and ask him a few questions. Simple,¡± she replied casually.


    ¡°He¡¯s not here and we don¡¯t know where he is.¡± Jensen said with a wince.


    ¡°Hey, I found a reference to a ¡®Jack Danner¡¯ working for the Gemstone¡­ a long time ago.¡± Ray said with surprise in his voice.


    ¡°ARE YOU IN OUR HUMAN RESOURCES FILES?!?¡± Walter squeaked in outrage.


    ¡°We have the authority to take this ce apart digitally. Every credit, every data packet, for as long as it takes to get answers to our investigation.¡± Major Ash said coldly.


    ¡°Look, I told you I don¡¯t know where he is!¡± Walter barked.


    ¡°Who does?¡±


    Jensen¡¯s mouth opened and closed as he struggled toe up with something he could say to protect himself AND his employer.


    ¡°Major, I¡¯ve tapped into the security system and I have a recording of Maury Levine being escorted by several men who appear to be ex-military. He got into an Empress ground skimmer and left the building approximately fifteen minutes after the abduction.¡± Ray said.


    ¡°An Empress? What¡¯s the range on that model?¡± Ash asked.


    ¡°Around 2000 kilometers.¡±


    ¡°Cross country capable?¡±


    ¡°Yes Major. Infort, stealthed, and armored.¡± Ray said with just a little envy in his tone.


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    ¡°You can still track it.¡± Gee said calmly. ¡°The Empress uses four independent antigrav panels which present a very distinct energy output pattern.


    Ray looked at the Altarian. ¡°How do I track that?¡±

 53

    ¡°The skimmer turned right when it exited the garage. That would take it to the end of the block and a traffic light. There should be a camera on that corner of the casino which register transponder IDs as vehicles pass.¡±


    ¡°The Empress is stealthed. No transponder.¡± Ray exined.


    ¡°Check.¡± Gee said.


    Ray scanned through the security feeds and found the image of the skimmer passing by but as he said, no transponder code. Gee reached past him and opened up the vehicle maintenance tab. Once more the fields were empty as the car hadn¡¯t been broadcasting anything when it went past. ¡°See! Nothing!¡±


    ¡°Scroll down please.¡±


    Ray looked at the bottom of the maintenance page and saw four numbers. Energy output values for the four antigrav units. These could not be stealthed as the units could not be modified without destroying them.


    ¡°You will note the four values aren¡¯t equal as the load in the vehicle isn¡¯t evenly distributed. This is the pattern you must track from every intersection sensor.¡± Gee exined.


    Ray¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Holy shit! I can do this!¡± He bent over his terminal and hammered out a search algorithm for the pattern and linked into the city¡¯swork to run the algorithm. With a grin, he patched his screen into therge disy above the bar and everyone got to see a huge map of Las Vegas and a blinking red light at each intersection the pattern was identified at. The line of dots moved away from the Gemstone Casino heading to the western edge of the city then it veered north before thest intersection leading to the highway. It went through three intersections then stopped which meant the skimmer had to have turned west once more as there were no more sensors in that direction.


    ¡°That¡¯s where we start!¡± the Major said. ¡°Ray, freeze the assets and all ounts for Maury Levine and the Gemstone.¡±


    ¡°WHAT? You can¡¯t do that!¡± Walter yelled.


    ¡°Indeed I can and I did. Maury Levine is a suspect in this investigation and is on the run. We are authorized to cut off ess to his funds to prevent him from fleeing the jurisdiction. Let¡¯s go people.¡±


    The team moved out of the casino double time and once they reached the sidewalk they boarded arge personnel carrier. The moment the door closed they were in the air moving towards the coordinates Ray sent to the driver.


    It took just ten minutes to get to the neighborhood where the skimmer disappeared. The road they determined the skimmer turned onto ended with a dirt track leading out into the desert. The empty desert.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Now what?¡± the Major asked.


    ¡°Are there any flight centers or high velocity ground transport centers out there? Somece they¡¯d be able to move him more quickly?¡± Gee asked.


    Ray looked at his tablet and shook his head. ¡°Nothing that¡¯s being actively used. There are three old airstrips but the use of airnes is prohibited¡­ oh right.¡±


    ¡°If they get him onto one of these ¡®nes¡¯ tracking his next location is going to be very difficult.¡± Gee said looking at Bal who was staring out into the inky ckness thinking that Jack was out there in that darkness.


    They shivered.


    The first ¡®airport¡¯ they checked was little more than a barn and a strip of cracked concrete. Gee and Bal urged the team to hurry back to the transport to go to the next one quickly. They just got into the air once more when Ray called out that they had a hit on the Empress skimmer in Baker, California and it was heading west.


    ¡°Set course for Baker!¡± Major Ash called out to the pilot.


    ¡°Major, we believe continuing our current search would be more effective use of our limited time. The Empress is now heading on a course which likely intersects with the gate in Los Angeles where we can easily detain him or you can have local authorities pick him up anywhere in between. If Mr. Levine was simply running for the other gate, why the diversion out into the desert. There was no roadblock he was avoiding. More likely he came out here for a purpose. Searching for the alternate transport site is still a viable n.¡±


    ¡°That n is just guesswork while capturing Mr. Levine will give us real answers.¡± Ash growled.


    ¡°At the cost of time we may not have.¡± Gee pushed.


    ¡°Thank you for your ¡®advice¡¯. We¡¯re going after Levine,¡± the Major said, reminding Gee and Bal what their official position was. Gee sat back and shared a look with Bal who was equally unhappy.


    Jack¡¯s shivering caused his chains to rattle. This prevented him from hearing the sound of the ne until the screech of its wheels touching down some distance away. His head came up as he strained to hear anything above the jingle of the metal links. He struggled to make sense of the roar until it finally connected in his brain as the drone of an airne propeller. He hadn¡¯t heard that sound since he was a kid. The sound got louder then suddenly cut off as the engine was shut off somewhere close by. Jack listened and shivered then finally the door opened. Momentster someone entered and Jack heard the distinct sound of two sets of boots.


    Two men walked into the light and looked at him. He looked back but he was shivering too hard to see clearly.


    ¡°It¡¯s Danner. Let him know,¡± a cool voice said.


    ¡°Shit. He¡¯s naked. Why the fuck is he naked!¡± the second one said pulling a satm from his pocket. He pressed a button and waited. ¡°Package confirmed,¡± he said and hung up.


    ¡°Find him something to wear,¡± the first one ordered and the second one walked off into the darkness.


    ¡°I- I d-don¡¯t- s-s-sup-pose your h-h-here t-t-t-to res-rescue me.¡± Jack forced out between his chattering teeth.


    The man walked closer and jabbed Jack in the chest with a rod. Jack cried out in agony as a painful shock ripped through his nerves.


    ¡°No talking. Understood?¡±


    Jack nodded the moment he could control his muscles.


    ¡°Smart.¡±


    The other man walked back with a bundle of¡­ something in his arms. ¡°I found some clothes he can wear.¡±


    The man with the shock rod snorted and nodded. The clothes were dumped on the floor at Jack¡¯s feet. He looked down and saw a dusty white one piece leather jump suit with red ents and¡­ a cape? Cheap looking rhinestones covered the chest, arms and legs which red wide at the bottom. There was a red scarf which Jack hoped was warmer than it looked. The man also brought a pair of boots. Hopefully they¡¯d fit as Jack could barely feel his toes.


    The man who¡¯d got the clothes pulled out a gun while the other went behind Jack and undid the locks, pulling the chain back through the chair¡¯s frame. Jack almost fell forward but caught himself. He hadn¡¯t realized how much he¡¯d been leaning against the chains.


    ¡°Get dressed,¡± the man behind him said.


    Jack¡¯s muscles shook from being locked in ce for hours then shocked. He carefully bent down and it took three attempts to get his fingers to grip the jumpsuit. He picked it up and undid the zipper down the chest. He braced himself against the chair and put one leg in then the other. He pulled it up and was grateful to discover it had a little room to spare around the waist/groin/ass area. The previous wearer must have been a little heavier. The problem began once he got his arms in the sleeves. His chest, shoulders and neck were too big to allow him to pull the zipper up further than the top of his stomach. He tied the red scarf around his neck and pulled the ends down over his chest.


    He lucked out as the boots fit well enough. Maybe a little loose but better than nothing. He looked down at himself, seeing the suit glitter like little sparks firing off and felt ridiculous. He looked up just in time to see the shock rod thrusting in to jab him in the neck. Lightning shed behind his eyes and he crumpled to the floor.


    Even at the personnel carrier¡¯s top speed, which they were using, it took them close to ny minutes to catch the Empress skimmer on the outskirts of Barstow. They were two minutes out and closing.


    ¡°Mr. Sharif, can you pull up the energy output of the antigravs again?¡± Gee asked.


    Ray looked at the Major as he¡¯d felt the climate definitely be chilly. She frowned and nodded.


    He tapped into thework and pulled up thest sensor reading.


    ¡°How does itpare to the one in Las Vegas?¡±


    ¡°The vehicle was moving faster through the intersection in Barstow so all readings are higher.¡± Rey said.


    ¡°I¡¯m interested in the ratios between the four units,¡± Gee exined.

 54

    Ray did some calctions and froze when he saw where this was going. ¡°The rear units are using less power than they were in Las Vegas.¡±


    ¡°I do not believe Ambassador Danner is within the vehicle at this time.¡± Gee suggested and earned a re from the Major. Bal nodded to her partner.


    ¡°We¡¯re within range to take control of the vehicle, Major,¡± the pilot called out.


    ¡°Do it,¡± she barked.


    ¡°System breached. Communication system open, Major.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Levine, this is Major Cha¡¯Risa Ash of Earth¡¯s Security Council Force. We have taken control of your vehicle. We will be stopping you for questioning in the abduction of the Altarian Ambassador Jack Danner. Have your security team drop their weapons out the window when the vehicle stops. Thank you for your cooperation with this matter.¡± She switched off and looked over at Nann. ¡°You¡¯re up.¡±


    The woman grinned and positioned herself at the side door and locked her boots into the mounts there.


    ¡°Major! Gunfire inside the vehicle! One shot!¡± the pilot called out.


    ¡°SHIT! Get us down there and stop that vehicle!¡±


    The side door retracted up into the ceiling and Nann¡¯s sniper gun came online. The barrel snapped into ce and the electromaic coils instantly charged with a high pitched hum. The gunsight on Nann¡¯s helmet snapped down in ce in front of her eyes and she grabbed the handles which directed the barrel and held the triggers.


    ¡°Bring the windows down,¡± Ash ordered.


    They could see therge vehicleing to a stop just ahead on the road. The moment the windows dropped two of the mercs inside leaned out and opened up on them.


    Nann tapped her triggers twice and the heads of the shooters disappeared in a red mist.


    ¡°Mr. Sharif! You must get the navigation records from the vehicle as quickly as you can!¡± Gee eximed.


    ¡°They are attempting to lock us out. That¡¯s not going to happen.¡± Ray said, his hands flying over his controls.


    Bal looked at Gee. ¡°I believe the soldiers may have killed Mr. Levine.¡±


    Nann chambered a special round and fired it into the open window of the luxury vehicle. The payload went off and the car filled with a caustic gas. Extremely ufortable when breathed and especially reactive on tattooed skin. Two more mercs burst from the vehicle firing on the carrier. Nann hit one in the spine taking his legs out from under him and punched a hole in the other one¡¯s chest. The crippled merc ate his gun rather than be captured.


    The round that went through the window also had a sensor pack which reported no one alive in the back. No one with Altarian gic material. Maury Levine was dead. The driver in the front was dead sitting next to thest remaining merc who was trying to do something nasty to the vehicle¡¯sputer.


    ¡°Fuck you pal!¡± Ray barked and set off the emergency restraint system around the man. He was hit from three sides by cushions at maximum pressure. Unfortunately this broke his neck so they lost theirst chance to question one of the mercs.


    ¡°Why the fuck did they do that?¡± Ash barked.


    ¡°They are mercenaries. Perhaps they were paid by Mr. Levine or a third party to ensure they were not taken alive.¡± Bal suggested.


    Then they were on the ground and the back door opened. Leo and Maxim rushed out and dashed to the vehicle but they confirmed that Jack was not inside.


    ¡°Did you get the locations they traveled to?¡± Gee asked Ray.


    The man looked at the Major and she gritted her teeth. ¡°They stopped at the second airport on our list,¡± he confirmed.


    ¡°We must go there now.¡± Gee said.


    ¡°We have to wait for localw enforcement to arrive and take control of the scene. They are on their way. Ten minutes out.¡± Gee sat back and shared a worried look with Bal.


    Due to the ill prepared nature of the local police who arrived it took another fifteen minutes to get additional units on scene to guard the crime scene until the state police coulde. Only then were they able to get underway to head for the airport.


    Major Ash sat across from Gee and felt her cheeks burning. ¡°I want to apologize for not listening before.¡±


    ¡°We understand your decision.¡± Gee said.


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful for that understanding. You were right and I wasn¡¯t. You could be telling me ¡®I told you so¡¯,¡± she said contritely.


    ¡°That would not be helpful behavior. We cannot afford to waste energy on such trivial matters. Nothing matters but finding Jack- Ambassador Danner,¡± Gee slipped once more.


    Ash smiled and Nann leaned forward. ¡°What kind of man is Jack Danner that he inspires such fierce devotion?¡± the redhead said with a grin.


    Gee looked at the woman with nervousness but nodded. ¡°Jack is a good man. He strives to do his best in all things though he is not always sessful. He cares deeply for his family and friends and does not hesitate to act in protecting them even at risk to himself. He is also silly and yful and often exasperating.¡±


    Bal frowned and nodded but they saw a fondness in her as well. Ash and Nann shared nces.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s find him,¡± the Major said.


    Jack¡¯s next recollection was a loud droning which was murdering his thumping brain. He cracked open his eyes and saw¡­ almost nothing. The interior of the ne he was in, shackled once more to a chair, was pitch ck except for the dimmed lights from the controls in the cockpit. The two men were up in the first two seats flying the ne. Or rather the one on the left was flying and the other one didn¡¯t look so good. His left arm was wrapped in bandages which were soaked through with blood. The pilot was wearing some kind of goggles. Night vision? Jack looked out the window and saw the tree tops racing by seemingly just under the ne. His stomach threatened to climb up into his throat and he must have made a sound as the injured man peered back at him with a look of pure hatred.


    ¡°YOU! Shut the fuck up!¡± he grunted.


    ¡°Dave. Conserve your strength.¡±


    So injured guy was named Dave. Jack took stock of his situation. He was shackled to a chair in a small vintage, propeller driven airne, flying ridiculously low¡­ to avoid detection maybe? He still had on the glittery suit and one of his captors had a very bad injury on his arm. Potentially a mortal wound. How it happened he had no idea as it must have happened while he¡¯d been unconscious.


    He nced out the window again and looked up this time. He found some familiar constetions and determined they were heading west. He was going to go out on a limb and say they were headed towards Los Angeles. As good a guess as any he supposed.


    A short timeter the radio crackled. The pilot looked over at Dave but he was breathing shallowly and looked unconscious. He flipped on his mic. ¡°Inbound,¡± was all he said.


    Jack looked out the window and could see a wide glow on the horizon but everything below was ckness. He held his breath as the pilot made adjustments to slow them and take them even lower. Jack began to see spots in front of his eyes when the wheels screeched as theynded. He gasped in a breath and tried to settle his nerves. The ne taxied for a long time then stopped. The interior lights went off and Jack couldn¡¯t see anything.


    ¡°Dave, we¡¯re here.¡±


    Silence.


    ¡°Dave?¡±


    Headlights from a car outside suddenly lit up the inside of the ne. Dave was dead. His bandage was saturated with his blood. The pilot was staring at Jack with murder in his eyes. He picked up the shock stick and jammed it against Jack¡¯s chest.


    Once more lightning shot through Jack¡¯s body. Then he heard a sharp crack sound and the pilot dropped to the floor, his blood and brains sshing against the opposite window.


    Jack¡¯s consciousness began to slip away once again as a face outside his window peered in at him. Something familiar¡­ then nothing.


    It took twenty more minutes before the personnel carrier reached the remote airfield.


    Theynded and fanned out as they approached the building. Bal discovered arge drum behind the building which still had some residual heat from an intense fire within it. Something was burned in the drum recently. They moved to the front door and saw it was open. Gee noted the marks in the dust indicating a number of feet recently moving through the door. She slipped inside with Bal following closely. Leo and Maxim were at their heels but gave the all clear shortly after confirming the building was empty.


    The Major entered with Ray and found Gee and Bal staring at a chair bolted to the middle of the floor in the otherwise empty garage. A pile of chainsy on the floor behind the chair. Bal knelt to scan the chains.


    ¡°Traces of Jack¡¯s cells on the chains. He was here.¡±


    ¡°The barrel.¡± Gee asked and the hair on Leo¡¯s and Max¡¯s necks stood on end from her tone.


    ¡°Not enough residue inside to be a body and the temperatures required to turn his bones to ash would have gged the barrel as well.¡± Bal exined. Gee sighed with relief as did the two soldiers.


    They spread out and Leo called out when he found something. Gee and Bal were immediately at his side. He looked a little ufortable being the focus of their attention so he just pointed to his finding.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°The dust is thick along this bench except for here. The stack of clothing has been disturbed. There is also boot shaped gaps in the dust.


    ¡°They burned his clothes and dressed him in something from here.¡± Gee guessed. She picked up the next garment on the pile and unfolded it.


    There was a snort from the doorway. Gee and Bal turned to look at the Major.


    ¡°They dressed him as Elvis?¡± she grinned.


    ¡°That they dressed him at all is a good sign,¡± Bal indicated and the Major¡¯s grin dimmed as she nodded.


    ¡°Major! I have blood!¡± Nann called out over theirms. Bal took a quick image of the suit Gee was holding up and they all rushed outside to join the sniper.


    ¡°I followed the tracks from the door and some led to a spot where the Empress was parked. The other tracks led to the paved surface leading to the runway. Then I saw this.¡± Nann exined as she pointed to the ground.


    The dirt was disturbed quite a bit and there were sshes of blood in the sand. Bal knelt beside the area and ran her scanner over it.


    ¡°A struggle?¡± the Major asked. ¡°Did Jack fight back?¡±


    ¡°Not sure. Look here. There are two deep divots in the ground and one seems to have blood on it. The divots are likely from Jack¡¯s horns when he fell on his back here. The fact that there¡¯s blood on the hole likely means his horn had blood on it-¡±


    ¡°Which wasn¡¯t his.¡± Bal remarked. ¡°None of the blood is his. There¡¯s some flesh in the hole as well which also isn¡¯t his. From the foot prints and Jack¡¯s impression in the sand I think he was being carried by two men and one dropped him, Jack¡¯s horn injuring the man in the process.¡±


    ¡°How sharp are his horns?¡± the Major asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s just the points you must avoid but they¡¯re sharper than your sharpest de. Does your de sharpen itself constantly?¡± Gee asked and the team¡¯s eyes widened.


    Gee returned to examining the patterns and footprints in the sand. ¡°The injured man was led onto the pavement. Then Jack was dragged to the pavement as well.¡± She looked out at the dark strip of concrete. ¡°What kind of air craft could carry three passengers, travel without being detected, and what kind of range would it have? What abandoned airports are within that range?¡± She looked over at Ray whose fingers were flying over his terminal.

 55

    ¡°I got one better than that. This ce made me think of those old movies involving drug smugglers. They used small nes and flew really low to avoid detection. I tapped into the weather imaging satellites and found a thermographic image of this region taken about an hour ago. There is an anomalous heat signature about two hundred miles due west where nothing should be. The streak pattern it made could be the exhaust from a propeller ne. Internalbustion engines give off a lot of heat.¡±


    ¡°Where would itnd?¡± Gee asked intensely.


    ¡°Only two ces along that course and one is owned by the air force so that¡¯s not a likely candidate. The other is next to a Gate Shipping Terminus. Where goods are ced in shipping containers for sending through therger gates at the Los Angeles Gate Terminal.¡±


    ¡°THAT¡¯S IT! That¡¯s how they are going to get Jack off!¡± Gee yelped and started to run for the personnel carrier. Bal was right behind her and the others quickly caught up. Once they were inside the Major barked out an order to head for Los Angeles at top speed.


    ¡°We have a little problem, Major. We¡¯ve been flying a maximum speed all night so we¡¯re going to have to stop to refuel. That means stopping in Baker but they have no rapid recharging stations. It will take thirty minutes to recharge there. We could reach Barstow which does have rapid recharging stations if we didn¡¯t use top speed. But we¡¯ll lose more time that way.¡±


    ¡°FUCK! Get us to Baker!¡± the Major barked and the carrier lifted immediately. She cursed herself once more for not listening to the Altarian. She wouldn¡¯t make that mistake twice. ¡°Ray, get me in touch with the Los Angeles Gate Terminal.¡±


    Momentster a face appeared on the screen before Ash. ¡°Los Angeles Gate Terminal, how may I direct your call?¡±


    ¡°This is Major Cha¡¯Risa Ash of Earth¡¯s Security Council Force. I¡¯m cing the Commercial section of the Terminal on lockdown. The Altarian Ambassador Jack Danner has been abducted and we believe he is being smuggled off through one of the cargo gates.¡±


    The man¡¯s face showed his shock. ¡°I¡¯ll have to contact my supervisor.¡±


    ¡°DO IT NOW!¡± the Major barked. The screen snapped to the hold image of the Terminal buildings at night. A current image. Sappy music yed and the Major groaned.


    A minuteter the image snapped back to the clerk. He looked definitely frazzled. ¡°Uh, I can¡¯t locate my supervisor and the Terminal Administrator isn¡¯t answering herm. I don¡¯t have ess to the codes needed for a lock down!¡±


    ¡°Find them and lock it down! Contact me when it¡¯s done!¡± she growled and hung up.


    ¡°Holy fuck! What does it take to light a fire under their asses!¡± she said incredulously.


    ¡°Maybe you could just order an airstrike and set the ce on fire,¡± Ray said with a grin.


    ****


    Fuck he was hot! Jack struggled to breathe. His head pounded from his repeated experiences with the shock stick but he opened his eyes and saw he was now chained to a metal rack inside a long metal box. It looked like a shipping container. Like the ones they shipped products through the gates to other worlds in. He got a really bad feeling about this.


    He was wearing a breathing mask but it was too loose and the scorching temperatures in the container were drying out his lungs. He couldn¡¯t snug down the straps on his mask so¡­ he was going to die.


    Crap, crap, CRAP!


    His head mmed back against the rack and a hand covered the face te of his mask. The straps were pulled tight and the cool moist air being fed to the mask were a wee balm for his lungs.


    The hand pulled away and he could see a man standing in front of him. He was wearing his own protective mask but he also had a suit to protect his skin. The leather and rhinestones weren¡¯t doing much to keep the moisture in Jack¡¯s body.


    Jack looked closer at the man inside the mask. The scruffy beard was new but he recognized him! ¡°Director Goodson?¡±


    ¡°No, just Goodson now. I no longer work for the agency. You should know that. You¡¯ve had them hunting for me since¡­ since before you turned into a freak.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not badmouthing your crazed lunatic beard¡­ oops.¡± Jack jabbed back.


    ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to rip that mask off and watch you shrivel into a sad little raisin, my customer wants you alive and is paying me a great deal of money to deliver you in that state. So for now it¡¯s just good night.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not sleepy! Tell me a story! You know, the one where you think you¡¯re going to get a lot of money for me but really you¡¯re just going to end up dead in a gutter on some alien world. Discarded like so much trash.¡±


    The man glowered at him but Jack had scored a point. There was real fear in the man¡¯s eyes. Fear and doubt. Jack could work with that.


    ¡°Seriously, tell me what you¡¯re involved in. I may be able to help,¡± Jack ventured.


    Goodson scowled and reached up beside the breathing mask. Jack heard a hissing noise and his vision began to go blurry.


    ¡°No! Wait¡­¡± he started then darkness.


    Cold. Jack¡¯s mind protested the ping ponging between temperature extremes. A shiver shook through his body and he suddenly needed to vomit. His eyes shed open and he saw he was still wearing the mask so he fought the nausea with everything he had and barely kept it down.


    His body continued to shake but in his weakened state even that was feeble.


    He heard voices in the distance, still too far away to recognize words, so he took in his surroundings. Still chained to the rack but no longer in the shipping container. He wasn¡¯t sure what that meant.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why I can¡¯t deal directly with the client!¡± argued a voice he recognized, Goodson.


    ¡°They don¡¯t works without a middlemans. I keeps telling yous¡± replied a slurring voice Jack didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°I verify the products is genuine and yous get paid and leaves. That¡¯s how it¡¯s done.¡±


    Goodson grumbled and opened the door leading into the room where Jack remained on the rack.


    They walked in and Goodson reached up and yanked the mask off of Jack¡¯s head roughly. He stepped aside so the other being could see Jack clearly.


    The short scaled Sinosian stepped forward to peer up at Jack¡¯s face. It had pox all over its body and rot had set in. It probably didn¡¯t have long to live.


    The stench hit Jack and his weakened stomach rebelled. He couldn¡¯t hold it back this time so his stomach contents surged up and out, over the face and body of the Sinosian. It screamed in terror as it tripped over its own feet in its haste to escape and fell onto its back.


    ¡°YOUS POISONS ME!¡± it wailed trying to scrape the stuff from its scales.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Goodson watched the Sinosian with amusement. ¡°It¡¯s just vomit. He had a reaction to the gas. Don¡¯t get so excited!¡±


    The Sinosian went into shock, trembled violently, and died. Goodson stared at it in dismay and just a little panic.


    Jack saw movement by the doorway and saw the three cowled figures enter the room.


    ¡°Oh fuck.¡± Jack moaned in dread.


    ¡°Exactly! Oh fuck! That was my contact!¡± Goodson growled.


    ¡°No. You made a deal with the Allsa Komanae? They don¡¯t honor deals. We¡¯re both good as dead.¡±


    Goodson looked up to see the three cowled figures standing before them.


    ¡°Mr. Goodson. You attempted to sell our product to a Sinosian? You tried to double cross us?¡± said the Allsa Komanae in the center, menacingly.


    ¡°No! He said he represented you-¡±


    ¡°LIES!!!¡± the voice hissed harshly.


    ¡°Hold on-¡±


    ¡°Save your breath Goodson. They hired the Sinosian so they could use you of cheating them. They probably poisoned the fool so he¡¯d die as they arrived. It¡¯s how these bastards operate.¡± Jack growled.


    Goodson stared at Jack, the hate in his eyes in to see.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re the one making deals with the devil. This mess is on you man. You¡¯ve killed us both.¡± Jack wheezed as his strength ran out. He rested his head back against the rack as he looked at the three, waiting for his death.


    ¡°Now wai-¡± Goodson stepped forward and found himself impaled upon a fine metallic fment. It didn¡¯t hurt¡­ until all he felt was pain. Every nerve in his body was screaming in absolute, unending agony. He couldn¡¯t even make a sound though his jaw dropped open in a rictus of despair. There was a sudden crackling sound and Goodson toppled onto his back. Jack looked down to see the expression of agony frozen on the man¡¯s face, his eyes bright red from the burst blood vessels. Jack shuddered and closed his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s your turn Mr. Danner. Would you like to beg for your life?¡± the cold voice from the cowl whispered in delight.


    ¡°No.¡±


    There was a pause. ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°You hold no significance. I no longer see you.¡± Jack decided he¡¯d go out giving his foes onest kick in the balls. He¡¯d learned the Allsa Komanae¡¯s greatest obsession was status. Mattering mattered most to them. So, they did not exist. The ultimate insult.


    Three almost identical squeals of rage vented from three cowls and went on and on. Yet¡­ he was alive. Interesting.


    Middle guy¡¯s scream went up another octave as Jack looked away undisturbed by their outburst. The Allsa Komanae began to attack but was quickly knocked to the ground by the others and stomped a few times. His squeals became high pitched intive wails and the stomping immediately stopped. A little push and shove ensued between the two still on their feet then the one on the left took center position. The one on the ground picked itself up and took its new position. The new center reached out and touched Jack¡¯s throat with a metal rod and Jack¡¯s nerves overloaded. As he tumbled into oblivion he worried about the effect these constant shocks might have.

 56

    ¡°What do you mean not ALL shipments are stopped during a lock down! What the hell do you think lock down means!!!¡± Major Ash yelled at the Terminal Administrator as they questioned her in the main boardroom of the Terminal building. Two police officers stood by the doors waiting to take the Administrator once she¡¯d been questioned.


    The clerk they¡¯d spoken to had performed a miracle in locating his supervisor and got the codes for the lockdown. But when the Major arrived at the Terminal they discovered a dozen containers had been sent through the gates to a number of different destinations during the lockdown.


    The clerk had grilled his supervisor¡¯s secretary and bluffed she would be facing criminal charges for obstructing an order from Earth¡¯s Security Council Force if she didn¡¯t talk. She caved and told him her boss was having an affair with the Terminal Administrator. Triangting on the Supervisor¡¯s active but mutedm, they¡¯d finally been found in a hotel across the street.


    The Major would put in a good word for the clerk to be promoted into the supervisor¡¯s position as that position would be opening up very soon as would the Administrator¡¯s.


    ¡°Containers gged as medical supplies being rushed to their destination due to medical emergencies like gue outbreaks cannot be dyed,¡± the Administrator insisted.


    ¡°Did you verify the destinations have officially registered these emergencies?¡± Gee asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t recognize your authority,¡± the woman belligerently answered the Altarian.


    ¡°Answer the question!¡± the Major yelled.


    The woman jumped and looked at the officer. ¡°It¡¯s standard policy!¡±


    ¡°Only if the emergency is officially registered, which you must verify. Your policy is suspiciously iplete.¡± Gee said and received a sour look from the woman.


    ¡°Well, even these containers are scanned prior to being shipped through the gate. No one could be inside the containers without being detected. Many have internal environmental conditions no one could survive,¡± she suggested.


    ¡°We will need to see these scans for the containers.¡± Gee said to the Major. ¡°If we eliminate them then the Ambassador is likely still on Earth.


    The Major gestured for the police to take the Terminal Administrator into their custody. There would be charges filed. At least she would be fired for ipetence. At worst she was looking at time for smuggling.


    Once they had the room to themselves Ray flipped on the boardroom¡¯s huge disy wall. ¡°Here are the scans. Only one of the emergencies was registered. The scan is clean. Medical supplies only. The other eleven went out tos known for dealing in contraband. Someone in the Terminal may be working for smugglers,¡± Ray said.


    ¡°Put a bookmark in that issue for now. Anything anomalous in the scans? Any heat signatures from stowaways?¡± Ash asked Ray. He frowned and shook his head.


    ¡°Silver. Can you detect silver content in theposition of the shipments?¡± Bal asked.


    Ray looked puzzled but ran a search algorithm against the scan values of the containers and one had arge quantity and a second had only a small amount.


    ¡°The second one. What was in it and where was it going?¡±


    Ray pulled up the details. ¡°It indicates it was filled with a growth enzymes. Used for manufacturing pharmaceuticals. The interior was kept at close to 170 degrees and almost zero humidity to keep the enzyme dormant. It was shipped to Rehm.¡±


    The Altarians froze and nced at each other in worry.


    ¡°Why silver and what¡¯s significant about Rehm?¡± Ray asked.


    ¡°Ambassador Danner¡¯s horns both contain pure silver in small amounts. Approximately the amount the scan detected. Rehm is a hub world like Earth but with fewer destinations. The Grellians, the Jhan Jnneg, the Dankerel Protocol¡­ and the Allsa Komanae are all direct trade partners with the Rehm.¡± Gee said.


    ¡°The Grellians I¡¯ve heard of and everyone knows about the Allsa Komanae but the other two are new to me,¡± the Major said.


    ¡°The Jhan Jnneg are hive mind insectoid race who cannot travel through the gates themselves. No one knows why but their mental link breaks once they cross the threshold of a gate and they be catatonic in a singr state. The theory is their consciousness is somehow bonded to their. The Dankerel Protocol don¡¯t see any need to leave their world when others cane to them. Only on the rarest asions will you see one traveling and rarely will it travel for long. No, we don¡¯t know why they call themselves that.¡± The question died on Ray¡¯s lips.


    ¡°The Rehm are facilitators for the others. Their entire society is based on acting as agents for the others. The Grellians are racists and restrict their interactions to their own kind and the Rehm. They do travel through the gates but will only interact with others when they must.


    Gee sighed and had a sick look in her eyes. ¡°The only race amongst these who might have an interest in Jack are the Allsa Komanae. He was attacked by one and injured it badly. Itspanions stomped it to death. The abduction may be retribution from that event.¡±


    Everyone was silent as the words sunk in. If Jack was in the hands of the Allsa Komanae his continued survival was not likely.


    ¡°We need to report but first we need to follow the lead to Rehm. Bal and I will go alone. I understand your authority does not extend beyond Earth.¡± Gee said calmly.


    The Major looked at the two ck Altarians and admired their bravery but she¡¯d be damned if she¡¯d let them step into what could be a trap and was at minimum very hostile territory. Besides, Ambassador Danner might not have been in the hands of the Allsa Komanae if she¡¯d listened to Gee in the first ce.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going with you as a private citizen to assist in the search and rescue of the Ambassador,¡± she said.


    ¡°I will too. Leo and Maxim have always wanted to visit Rehm, right boys?¡± Nann grinned and the grins they gave her in return were just a little blood thirsty.


    ¡°Ray, I need you to find the source of the contract. It¡¯s possible Maury Levine grabbed the Ambassador for his own purposes but he handed him off to parties unknown who somehow had connections to get him through the security of a major Gate Terminal. Follow the money. Also, have the local authorities find the transport that got the Ambassador to the Gate Shipping Terminus. Find me evidence of his presence. I¡¯ll need that report when we get back,¡± the Major ordered.


    Ray breathed a sigh of relief as his tech skills would be useless to them on Rehm. While he was skilled at using his weapons his favorite was his brain. He nodded to his boss and caught Nann¡¯s smirk. He flipped her the bird.N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Are we going to be able to get through Rehm¡¯s Gate Terminal with our weapons?¡± Nann asked.


    ¡°How much will you need to carry?¡± Bal asked.


    Nann frowned sadly at her rail gun and stepped out of the augmentation suit. She looked to Ray and he linked it to his terminal and walked it over to stand behind him. Maxim handed Nann a slim rifle from the pack at his feet. She took off the barrel and snapped it in ce against the stock.


    Leo and Maxim both showed theirpact assault rifles which matched the one the Major was carrying.


    Bal and Gee nodded. ¡°You can carry your ammo in your pockets but we will carry the weapons through. You¡¯ll get them back once we are outside the terminal.¡±


    The team looked at the two agents in surprise.


    Gee and Bal held their hands out for the weapons. The Major was first to hand over her assault rifle which disappeared inside Bal¡¯s gown. Nann gave her the slim rifle and that disappeared as well. Bal¡¯s gown now only looked a little bit more bulky than before. Gee took Leo and Maxim¡¯s weapons and everyone confirmed they had sufficient ammo in their pockets.


    They had to move so they nodded to Ray who was already lost inside his digital world and headed to the Commercial Gate Building. The Gates weren¡¯t any different than the passenger ones except for size. They ranged fromrge to huge depending on what was being shipped.


    They marched directly up to the Custom¡¯s desk. A Tik was operating the cargo gates as these wererge enough to allow for military invasion, something the sentient mechanical race would not allow with the Gate Network they administered, managed, and maintained. Tik¡¯s resembledrge chrome garbage cans except for their sensory bands, metallic, retractable tentacles, and their ability to fly courtesy of their internal antigrav. There was a tense moment when the Tik passed a scan over the two Altarians. It paused before it spoke with the security agents.


    ¡°Greeting Gee and Bal! I am Jerrican. What is your destination and purpose of your visit?¡±


    ¡°We are on a search and rescue mission for the Altarian Ambassador Jack Danner who was abducted. We have reason to believe he was smuggled through this terminal in a transport container delivered to Rehm,¡± Gee stated calmly.


    ¡°The scans of all recent containers did not register illicit passengers,¡± the Tik responded.


    ¡°The container in question had environmental conditions to hide the passengers.¡± Gee held up herm to show the Tik the ID for the container. ¡°If you scan for silver you will find silver content which is a reasonable match to the silver on his horns,¡± she finished. The Tik interfaced with its terminal using one of its metallic tentacles.


    ¡°The silver content andposition is an exact match to the records the Tik have for Jack Danner, born of Earth and resident of Altaria. Good luck in your search. Gate one is being directed for Rehm.¡±


    The others rxed and followed the two Altarians to the huge gate.


    ¡°What a relief! I was sure the Tik detected the weapons!¡± the Major sighed quietly.


    ¡°It did. Our gowns do not shield against Tik sensor sweeps.¡± Gee responded just as quietly.


    The Major stared at Gee in shock. ¡°Then why-¡±


    ¡°The Tik are the most civilized beings in the Network. While they are mechanical in nature and have lifespans beyond any organic species they value life more highly than any other. That said they are also highly practical and ethical beings who know when to look the other way for the greater good. Our mission is just and righteous. The Tik have recorded Jack Danner¡¯s history and while they will not participate they approve of our mission,¡± Gee exined.

 57

    Before they stepped through Nann began tough. Ash looked at her. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I just got it! Its name, Jerrican! Jerry Can!¡± the redhead chuckled.


    ¡°Yes, the Tik have an odd obsession with asking Humans to give them names when they go into service shortly after their Instantiation. I am not sure when that practice began but it has resulted in some odd and sometimes less than ttering designations.¡± Gee sighed.


    The group stepped through and found themselves in arge and noisy space, a far cry from the cool efficiency of the LA Terminal. They made their way to the customs desk and faced the Rehm clerk. Generally short, they had round bodies with two long arms, two short ones and strong but short legs. Their skin was a dull grey green. Otherwise unremarkable, the Rehm were good at their jobs.


    ¡°Names and purpose of your visit,¡± it said barely looking up from its terminal which was busy scanning them.


    ¡°Gee and Bal, Altarian Security. Searching for our Ambassador. Hired a crew for heavy lifting.¡± Gee said ndly.


    ¡°Reward?¡± the clerk said brightening up.


    ¡°Not my department. We¡¯re just the transport.¡±


    The clerk¡¯s expression dulled once more. ¡°One day pass for six?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Gee answered.


    ¡°6000 credits.¡±


    The Major jolted at the expense but Gee just tapped herm on the pay pad and the clerk¡¯s eyes lit up when it saw the included gratuity.


    ¡°Information?¡± Gee asked.


    The smile froze then a subtle nod.


    ¡°Growth enzyme shipment some hours ago. Destination?¡± Gee asked casually.


    The clerk ced it¡¯sm on the surface of its desk near the edge. It scanned its records then looked towards the exit. ¡°Hot box. Yes. Third sector, tenth zone, grid four. Closest approximation¡­ the Cowled Ones.¡± Meaning that was the recorded destination which still covered arge area. Thest bit was the most important information. Confirmation of the enemy.


    ¡°Good Business,¡± Gee said tapping herm against the other¡¯s before putting it back in her gown.


    ¡°Good Business,¡± it responded with a broad smile as it read his intake of credits. The group made their way out of the terminal through the exit.


    ¡°We will need to hire a transport as the destination is not achievable on foot in the time we have.¡± Bal remarked. Gee nodded and looked around. A delivery wagon was parked across the lot and the driver was eating a lunch that was putting up a fight.


    ¡°For hire?¡± Gee asked it as she approached.


    It crunched down on the iling creature it was eating and looked at the group standing before it. It swallowed and took a gulp of the liquid from a bulb at its side.


    ¡°For six? Where?¡±


    ¡°Third sector, tenth zone¡­ third grid.¡±


    Eyes lit up. ¡°Rough zone. Hazard pay.¡±


    Gee nodded. ¡°There and back.¡±


    The driver¡¯s excitement dimmed a little. ¡°How long in the zone?¡±


    ¡°Two hours max. We¡¯ll camo the vehicle while you are there.¡±


    It rxed as the danger to it and its truck would be reduced significantly by the camouge. ¡°10, 000 credits. Each way.¡±


    Gee turned to walk away.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°6000 credits each way!¡± it yelped before it lost her business.


    Gee turned back and the driver quickly tidied up its meal and climbed into the truck. The team stepped through the cab to take seats on the benches in the back. Bal stepped into the back and gave the Major and Nann their weapons. She returned to the cab and Gee delivered Leo and Maxim¡¯s weapons to them. The men grinned in delight to have their weapons back and ran a quick inspection on them.


    As Gee returned to the cab the driver looked nervously in the back. ¡°Double hazard pay.¡±


    The Altarians scowled at the Rehm driver and it squirmed. It was very bad business to change the deal once agreed upon.


    ¡°Already paying hazard though none to you. IF such a hazard does ur, THEN bonus on existing hazard.¡± Gee growled and the Rehm meekly nodded. Gee paid it for the outbound trip and it got them underway with no further dy.


    ¡°What¡¯s our ETA?¡± the Major called out.


    ¡°Seventy five minutes.¡± Gee remarked as Bal moved to set up sentry at the back door, watching out the back window.


    Themandos nodded and all proceeded to close their eyes. The Altarians were on watch.


    There really wasn¡¯t much to see along the way. Countless rows of simr grey five story buildings and slightly taller warehouses. Only the changing location identifiers at the intersections showed they were getting closer to their destination. It was a little mind numbing but Gee and Bal maintained their vignce through intense discipline.


    ¡°Entering third sector, tenth zone, third grid.¡± the driver said.


    ¡°Take us to the far side of the grid and turn right at the intersection before the fourth grid.¡± Gee instructed and got a nod in return.


    Finally they turned and Bal came forward again. She¡¯d woken the team as she passed.


    ¡°Pull into this alley and pull up against that wall.¡± The driver took them into the spot and shut off the engine.


    ¡°Two hours begins now. Camo truck,¡± it blurted as it looked out the window nervously at the desertedne. Not much traffic in this neighborhood at all. Traffic had been much heavier nearer the Gate Terminal and the public transit didn¡¯t even seem toe out this far.


    Gee and Bal stepped outside and ced small metal pucks against the surface of the truck at either end. With a buzz the truck disappeared¡­ mostly. For a casual nce the space appeared empty.


    Themandos stepped out and looked back in surprise. The driver followed and smiled.


    ¡°Stay inside the truck. Within two hours we will be back.¡± Gee barked.


    It nodded and stepped back inside, disappearing from view.


    They moved out.


    ¡°What guarantee do we have that it won¡¯t just drive away?¡± the Major asked.


    ¡°The vehicle won¡¯t start while the camo is engaged and only we can turn the camo off.¡± Bal stated.


    Nann shared a grin with Leo and Maxim who were looking at the Altarian¡¯s with new respect.


    ¡°We are going to move up to the edge of grid four and begin a sensor sweep. This is likely to generate some interest as the scan is detectable. We will move fast and if you see Allsa Komanae don¡¯t hesitate to shoot as you won¡¯t be given a second chance. The Rehm¡¯s confirmation means Altaria is at war with Allsa Komanae as of this moment. Our mission has be top secret and no longer exists officially. The Queen must be given this information and will make the statement of intent.¡±


    Eyebrows went up and the hair on the back of their necks stood on end. They were involved in, no, they were making history but few would ever know.


    The team¡¯s eyes scanned for enemies as Gee and Bal prepared their scanners. They angled the devices outwards away from each other to cover a roughly spherical zone. With a nod they set off at a trot with themandos in pursuit. Twenty minutester they had covered thirty percent of grid four without picking up anything. The asional Rehm office worker ignored them as did the Rehm warehouse techs.


    They were moving into the older, less used part of grid four when Bal¡¯s device shed a green light. It picked up human DNA ahead. They heard an odd warbling and Gee gestured for everyone to scatter. Nann was the first to disappear from view as she darted into a side alley. The men split and moved to nking positions. Gee and Bal tucked away the sensors and pulled out their pistols.


    The Major looked at theirpact weapons and wondered at their firepower. She feltforted by the solidity of her assault rifle.


    ¡°Major, we will take center. If you could cover our retreat that would be helpful.¡± Gee said.


    An Allsa Komanae tumbled from the rooftop just behind them. Then two more on roof tops ahead of them. The warbling ahead got louder then cut short with a squeal.


    Major Ash smiled to herself. That would be Nann.


    They nced around a corner to see a wide courtyard next to an old warehouse. Three dead Allsa Komanaey next to the shipping container they were looking for.


    The space acted like an acoustic amplifier. They heard the distant chuff sounds of Leo and Maxim¡¯s assault rifles firing and the lighter snap of Nann sniping from a rooftop somewhere.


    ¡°I need one of the Allsa Komanae for questioning,¡± Gee said quietly to the Major. She ryed that to Nann.


    Six Allsa Komanae suddenly burst from the warehouse doorway with guns zing. Gee and Bal each snapped off three shots painting the hoods of their targets as tiny missilesunched from their guns. The Altarians dove for cover pulling the Major behind a building¡¯s corner as their rounds reached Mach one racing towards each target. The ground shook as the six missiles detonated within the six cloaks.


    ¡°Apologies, we did not have time to calibrate the output on the rounds for personnel,¡± Gee exined to the Major than the Altarians helped her up. They peered around the corner and a trench had been sted into the ground in front of the warehouse which no longer had any ss in its windows. A single Allsa Komanae stumbled out of the building and paused in front of the trench.


    Bal tapped her weapon¡¯s controls quickly and fired on the stunned enemy. This time the round went off with a smaller concussive st six feet before the remaining Allsa Komanae tossing it back against the wall of the building to fall slumped in a pile. Nodding to each other the Altarians bolted from cover and raced across the open space to leap over the trench and grab the robes of the downed enemy. They dragged it inside and covered the room with their weapons.


    The Major ran across the space after the surprisingly fleet Altarians and nced down to either end of the courtyard. Maxim and Leo guarded their nks and a nce up and behind caught Nann¡¯s wave as she indicated she was watching from above.


    ¡°Clear?¡± Ash called out.


    ¡°All clear.¡± Gee¡¯s voice called in return.

 58

    The Major stepped inside and saw Bal leaning over and speaking quietly to a whimpering Allsa Komanae which was lying on the floor. She followed Gee into the next room and the stench made her gag. There was a body on the floor being dissolved from the feet upwards. The goo had only reached the stomach so they saw the face clearly. Human. Male. Older Caucasian with a rough unkempt beard. Look of horror and pain frozen on his face.


    A second body was off to one side. A Sinosian, in an advanced state of rot.


    Gee touched a device to the man¡¯s neck. She looked back at the Major. ¡°I recognize this man. Director Goodson of Earth¡¯s Trade Commission. He was a wanted criminal, responsible for a previous abduction. He obviously still has deep connections to have pulled off such an operation but he had no experience with dealing with the Allsa Komanae. We were lucky to have gotten here when we did. The clean-up team didn¡¯t have time to finish so we must be close.¡±


    The agent scanned the metal rack and picked up traces of Jack¡¯s gic material where he¡¯d gripped and scraped his fingers against the rough edges of the metal. Jack had been here and he¡¯d been alive.


    ¡°Major! We have iing! Arge number of Allsa Komanae. I slowed them down a little by taking out their drivers from a distance but they are all on foot now making their way to your location. You need to make tracks.¡± Nann said over them.


    Gee and Ash rushed back into the outer room to see Bal backing away from the moaning Allsa Komanae. She gestured for them to be quiet and led them out. Then all three raced for the other side of the courtyard. Leo and Maxim were double timing back to their location as well.


    Nann was already on the ground and they ran as quickly as they could. A minuteter there was an enormous thump and the ground heaved under their feet causing them to stumble.


    The Major and Gee looked at Bal who was smiling. ¡°They found my present.¡±


    ¡°How much did you use?¡± Gee asked.


    ¡°All of it.¡± Bal grinned. An enormous fireball was climbing into the sky behind them. Leo and Maxim grinned widely as well.


    They picked up their pace once more and managed to get back to the alley in a quarter of the time they¡¯d taken to get to the warehouse. As they rushed up to the spot where the truck should have been the Major felt a knot of dread forming in her stomach. Gee tapped herm and the truck was suddenly there. She and Bal pulled their camo devices from the truck¡¯s sides and they all piled in as the Rehm screamed at them for disabling the truck.


    ¡°How did you know it was disabled unless you attempted to leave prior to the arranged two hour window?¡± Gee growled and the Rehm instantly shut up.


    ¡°Make haste as we likely have arge group of very angry Allsa Komanae following us.¡± Bal mentioned.


    The Rehm screeched and got the truck back out on the main thoroughfare. It pushed its speed up just a little higher than the limit and cursed under its breath.N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Take the next main left.¡± Bal called out from the back window.


    The Rehm¡¯s curses turned to whimpers but it slowed and turned as directed.


    ¡°Take the next right.¡± They went right. This route was far less traveled but momentster arge armored personnel carrier swung into position behind them and began to elerate.


    ¡°We have a tail. We can¡¯t outrun them and they are in an armored vehicle. Suggestions?¡± Bal asked.


    ¡°Do you have any more of that stuff you used back at the warehouse?¡± the Major asked Bal.


    ¡°No but Gee does.¡±


    ¡°How is it triggered and how much would we need to take out the windshield?¡± Ash asked.


    ¡°Exposure to air causes the reaction and only three seeds.¡±


    ¡°Seeds. Geezus, it¡¯s organic?¡± she gasped then looked at her sniper. ¡°Nann, I need you to hit the windshield with a payload round. Guys, you know what to do once the windshield is down.¡±


    Leo and Maxim grinned widely and prepared their guns.


    ¡°Give me the round.¡± Gee said and Nann ced it in her hand. The tip was soft and would copse letting the payload chamber break open on impact. Gee saw the payload chamber was filled with a gel. This would support and iste the seeds but not for long. She looked at the sniper. ¡°From the time I hand it to you, you will only have ten seconds to fire the round before it begins to react¡­ explosively.¡±


    Nann nodded with an intense smile on her face.


    Leo and Maxim stood by the rear windows. They could see the carrier getting closer and an Allsa Komanae popped up in the gunner¡¯s position on top. Leo looked at Maxim. ¡°Bonus target.¡±


    Gee turned her back on the others and carefully injected the gel with four seeds, one extra just in case, and sealed the round. She handed it to Nann who chambered it in the rifle and nodded. The men knocked the windows out and immediately leaned away. Nann aimed and pulled the trigger before the carrier driver recognized that the window panes had popped out of the back doors. Nann¡¯s bullet hit the window dead center and the gel shed away as it was designed to do. The seeds were burning their way into the reinforced polymer when they went critical and blew the entire windshield into the cabin. The shockwave shoved the delivery truck forward and everyone grabbed a support.


    Leo and Maxim leaned back in and fired two grenades into the carriers open window to turn the injured bodies into giblets. Maxim beat Leo to punching a hole in the gunner on top. The carrier continued to elerate towards them.


    ¡°Hard right!¡± Bal yelled and the truck took the next turn at speed. It bounced off the wall of a building then got back on track. Their tail continued in a straight line continuing to elerate.


    ¡°Hard left at the intersection and push the speed to maximum.¡± Bal called out.


    The Rehm was moaning constantly now. Gee leaned in close. ¡°Double hazard pay and we¡¯ll rece the truck.¡± That stiffened the lip of the driver and the elerator went to max.


    Gee¡¯sm pinged with an iing message. The Customs agent was informing her that the terminal was blockaded by Allsa Komanae vehicles. Gee sent the agent credits for the information.


    ¡°We have a problem ahead. The terminal is surrounded by Allsa Komanae vehicles.¡±


    ¡°Hard left!¡± Bal called out and the truck screeched around the corner and bounced off the building once more. ¡°Hard right!¡±


    They swung out onto the road they¡¯d been on previously but now they were behind the runaway carrier which was crushing through everything in its path. Gee caught on to her partner¡¯s idea immediately.


    ¡°Stay behind it but not too far back,¡± she said to the driver. It just nodded as it nced at the carnage of twisted metal on the sides of the road.


    Gee heard the chuff of the assault weapons being fired in the back and looked to Bal.


    ¡°Nothing to worry about.¡± Bal reported.


    They continued on with Leo and Maxim gleefully picking off the reckless few who took up the chase. Then suddenly no one was following.


    ¡°They¡¯re falling back as the rest are all gathering at the Commercial Gate Terminal,¡± the Major surmised.


    Gee shared a look with Bal then tapped out a message. The response came back momentarily and she sent off more credits. It might work.


    *******


    The Allsa Komanae techs had been trying to remotely connect to the controls of the carrier but it was too badly damaged. They pulled the vehicles back from the street it would exit from. Even with its armor it couldn¡¯t breech the wall surrounding the Gate Terminal. Their runaway would be destroyed against the imprable wall and in the chaos the cursed Altarians and the savage Humans would attempt to breach their line to get back into the Terminal and through their gate.


    The Field Leader surveyed the Secondaries prepared to fight and smiled. Their numbers were just too great and they had their second carrier parked before the entrance to the Terminal. There would be no escape. The Field Leader had gambled highly when it brought through so many Secondaries to deal with this loose end. So many had already been lost!


    It passed amand down the line. Any who allowed their target to get past would lose their current standing. It felt the tension ripple through the ranks and smiled.


    Momentster they heard the rumble of the runaway carrier approaching. The noise got louder and louder until the vehicle burst out from between the buildings. It was pushing a small fuel transport!


    The carrier struck the wall and crushed the fuel pod against it. As it was designed to do the wall held and deflected the st wave down its surface in all directions. The Secondaries closest to the st were torn apart. Further back they were tossed like leaves in the wind to break against the parked vehicles, the wall, the ground, and each other.


    Standing atop the carrier the Field Leader was able to brace against the shockwave. It looked for the truck but¡­ it wasn¡¯t there! Just as it began to issue orders the truck shot out of the roadway and drove straight into the hellish mess of the destroyed carrier. The wall continued to hold as the truck exploded far more violently than is should have. A second,rger stwave ripped through the nearby Secondaries and the death count increased dramatically.


    The remaining Secondaries hesitantly moved forward to seek out their targets but they must have died in the crash. How incredibly useless!


    ********


    ¡°Names and Destination.¡±


    ¡°Gee and Bal. Travelling with four hired hands to Earth.¡±


    The clerk at the Passenger Gate Terminal frowned as it looked at its screen. ¡°I don¡¯t see your ingress record.¡± Its personalm beeped with an iing message from the Commercial Gate clerk. ¡°Oh.¡±


    It ced them on the edge of its desk and Gee tapped it with hers giving a tip for services.


    ¡°Gate 3¡± the clerk smiled.


    ¡°Good Business.¡± Gee said calmly as she slipped herm away. They walked down the hall towards the gate.


    Major Ash felt every hair on her body standing on end as did Nann, Leo, and Maxim. Weaponless they followed the Altarians down the hall. The Major was stunned by how simple their escape had been. They¡¯d stopped the truck to get out and Gee ved it to chase the carrier. Off it went struggling to catch up. Bal had left a surprise in the back.

 59

    Gee paid their driver on the sidewalk with an Altarian credit slip which would pay for a recement truck and paid it the remaining bnce she owed. Then the Altarian agents had the group simply board a public bus going to the Passenger Gate Terminal. They¡¯d seen a fireball as they rode the bus then a second muchrger one which made Bal smile. Once they¡¯d arrived they just walked in the Terminal¡¯s front door.


    They knew shit was going to hit the fan any second but¡­ it didn¡¯t. They stepped through the gate to Earth and found themselves facing armed troops pointing weapons at them.


    ¡°FREEZE! Hands up and stay where you are!¡±


    The two Altarians stood at the Gate¡¯s threshold with the four humans crowded up behind them. Gee took a quick nce to the left and saw Jerrican resting against the floor recharging at an outlet. One of its other tentacles was running along the floor to the bottom edge of the gate.


    ¡°By the authority of Earth¡¯s Security Council I hereby ce you under arrest for possible war crimes. Step away from the gate,¡± a loud voice called out. Then quieter, ¡°Why isn¡¯t that gate shut down?¡±


    Gee nced over one more time and saw the word ¡°Go¡± sh up on Jerrican¡¯s interface. She grabbed her partners hand and they leapt back with their arms stretched out, pushing the team back through the gate. They tumbled to the floor amidst yells and scrambling. The Gate closed. A siren went off.


    ¡°Unauthorized Entry! This is Altarian Security! Remain where you are!¡± red over the loudspeaker. Gee and Bal rxed as did the Major and her people.


    ¡°Altaria? How the hell did we get to Altaria! The gate was set for Rehm!¡± Ash asked. ¡°Did you do that?¡±


    Gee smiled at the woman. ¡°As powerful as that would seem to make me, no. That was done by Jerrican.¡±


    ¡°As much as we appreciate the save we should go back to Earth to get this mess straightened out,¡± the Major said.


    ¡°No one is going anywhere until- Oh! Agent Gee, Agent Bal! Shall I arrange transport for you to the Ministry?¡± the Terminal security agent asked.


    ¡°Yes please and could you store these for my friends here for when they return?¡± Gee said and handed the agent Leo and Maxim¡¯s guns. She heard the men make a little noise of disappointment. A second agent took the Major¡¯s and Nann¡¯s guns into safe keeping. Gee faced the team. ¡°Rest assured you will get them back on your way to Earth. If you would please join us for our debriefing at the Ministry of Security we would greatly appreciate it.¡±


    The threemandos looked to their leader who sighed then nodded.


    The transport to the Ministry was a far smoother ride than their experience in the delivery truck. They were led to afortable lounge and served food and drinks.


    ¡°What are we waiting for?¡± the Major asked Gee.


    The door behind them pushed open and a strong voice rang out.


    ¡°The question should be ¡®Who are you waiting for¡¯ and I¡¯m sorry to say it was me. My apologies for the dy. I was in meetings with my council. Did you find Jack?¡±


    Everyone turned to see Queen Elissa standing next to Hellna, Altaria¡¯s Security Minister. Both women had looks of concern on their faces.


    Gee and Bal approached them and bowed to the Queen and nodded to their boss.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not but we do have the name of the being who ordered the abduction and a second name which could be a potential location.¡± Gee began.


    Major Ash perked up. This was a bit of information they hadn¡¯t heard yet.


    ¡°With the help of Major Cha¡¯Risa Ash, Captain Nann Graf, Corporal Leo Orlov and Corporal Maxim Volkov,¡± Gee gestured to each person as she addressed them, ¡°and Lieutenant Ray Sharif who remained on Earth, we tracked Jack as far as Rehm where we discovered he was finally collected by the instigators of the contract, the Allsa Komanae. Bal interrogated one we managed to catch alive.¡± She turned to her partner.


    ¡°The Allsa Komanae was badly injured but I was able to extract a name from it as well as a second name which as Gee mentioned could be a location or the name of her race. I cannot verify the uracy of either but it¡¯s the best lead we have. The one who ordered the abduction was Prime Ossiliss. The other name is Mahrell Drun.¡±


    ¡°What? Wait? WHAT?!?¡± Elissa gasped and staggered, her eyes wild. Hellna gripped the Queen¡¯s elbow and helped her sit on a sofa.


    ¡°That name¡­ it hasn¡¯t been spoken in millennia. When I became Queen I read the histories. The Mahrell Drun¡­ they were the only race to ever have their gate revoked. Violently. A Prime? Oh¡­ the Allsa Komanae¡­ their hierarchy is ruled by position. If this Prime Ossiliss is indeed from Mahrell Drun¡­ damn their evil souls. The Allsa Komanae must be the decendents of the Mahrell Drun left behind when their gate was destroyed. Now they¡¯re being led by a Prime? This information needs to be brought to the attention of the rest of the Network Worlds.¡± Elissa said.


    ¡°Sorry, who are the Mahrell Drun and what did they do to deserve having their gate destroyed?¡± Major Ash asked.


    ¡°Secretly they attempted to take over the Gateway worlds through treachery and horrifying acts of violence. While presenting a face of peace and harmony they spread fear, paranoia, and rage amongst the member races and drove them to war against each other. Some races never recovered from the devastation these wars inflicted and the Mahrell Drun were almost sessful. It took the full might of the oldest race in the Network who also ruled the Network with an iron fist, to put a stop to them and destroy their gate. The Allsa Komanae use some of their old techniques but without a Prime to lead them they¡¯re just a shadow of their former evil. The Mahrell Drun were said to be beautiful and charismatic but evil to their very core.¡± Elissa suddenly jolted. ¡°And now one has Jack!¡± she wailed then quickly locked her emotions down. She¡¯d deal with themter.


    ¡°Could this abduction have been one of their actions to draw Altaria and Earth into dispute,¡± the Major asked.


    Everyone turned to face her and expressions turned thoughtful.


    ¡°There seems to be a power at work within Earth¡¯s agencies that allowed the Allsa Komanae to expedite an abduction. Humans are the new kids in the Gateway neighborhood and we¡¯re a greedy race so we¡¯d be ripe for maniption. While Director Goodson was involved, he may have just been a tool used by others. I need to speak with Ray. I need to learn what he¡¯s found.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps our first call should be to Earth¡¯s Security Council. I¡¯ll put a call through immediately.¡±


    Hellna used the lounge¡¯sm to make the call and put the image up on therge screen.


    ¡°Minister of Earth Security, Mr. Steyn¡¯s office, how may I help you,¡± a professional looking clerk answered.


    ¡°This is Hellna, the Altarian Security Minister. I have Queen Elissa of Altaria on the line with me and the security team in charge of locating our Ambassador. We need to speak with Mr. Steyn immediately.¡±


    ¡°I will connect you now.¡±


    There was nog this time. An angry looking man appeared on the screen and red at the group before him. ¡°Ruan Steyn here. Am I addressing the group who started a war on Rehm? Are you harboring criminals Queen Elissa or was this action based on your orders?¡±


    While the Queen was taken aback by his hostility she maintained her cool. ¡°Mr. Steyn, I assure you the actions that took ce on Rehm were the direct result of the Allsa Komanae¡¯s abduction of our Ambassador and are therefore their responsibility.¡± Queen Elissa exined.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t line up at all with the evidence we¡¯ve uncovered. The Allsa Komanae were not identified as suspects in the abduction while both the casino operator and Mr. Danner¡¯s previous employer both had motives. I¡¯m afraid attempting to drag the Allsa Komanae into this to justify the actions of your agents on Rehm just isn¡¯t going to fly this time. We want our officers back on Earth to face the charges filed against them. If you tell me that you intend to continue to harbor them then I believe our conversation is at an end.¡±


    The man red at the room of people stunned into silence.


    Ash stepped forward. ¡°Sir, if I may. Have you spoken to Lieutenant Ray Shakir? I¡¯d asked him to follow the money trail and the evidence he collected corroborates the facts that we have gathered-¡±


    ¡°Lieutenant Shakir is dead. He was killed by the Terminal Administrator who was involved in a smuggling ring at the LA Gate Terminal. She and a Terminal Security Officer were killed when Mr. Shakir returned fire before expiring. The evidence I¡¯m quoting came from his files.¡±


    Ash stared in disbelief at the man on the screen. Nann was on her feet, a silent scream of denial on her lips, frozen by her shock. Leo and Maxim were looking like they wanted to kill someone very soon.


    ¡°Major, don¡¯t let this situation be worse than it is. Come home.¡± Ruan said to the officer.


    ¡°Mr. Steyn, rest assured we are not attempting to disrupt rtions between Altaria and Earth. Nor are we looking for made up reasons to attack another race in the Network. Altarians are proud of our record foring to peaceful resolutions. That speaks for itself. We didn¡¯t instigate this event and we will share with you all the evidence we collected as a sign of our deep respect for your legal process. We will not restrict movements of your people to keep them here on Altaria but we will also not force them to leave. Once you¡¯ve reviewed the information we believe you wille to realize the true nature and scope of the matter at hand.¡± Queen Elissa exined.


    ¡°I see. I¡¯d hoped we could resolve this matter more expeditiously. It seems this has to be done the hard way. You will be hearing from me.¡± Ruan ended the call.


    Hellna looked at Queen Elissa and they shared a nervous nce. ¡°Without trying to sound paranoid, could he be one of the infiltrators?¡± Hellna asked.


    More worried nces.


    ¡°I am terribly sorry for your loss. Ray Shakir was a brilliant and good man. His murder is both tragic and terribly suspicious as his investigation would have identified the true instigators.¡± Gee said sincerely.


    The Major frowned deeply as she looked at Gee and Bal. ¡°We need to get his findings.¡±


    ¡°I could send a request to Earth¡¯s Security Council-¡± Hellna began.


    ¡°No, I need his report unaltered and unfiltered. The backup he kept in his personal data vault.¡± Ash said.


    ¡°How do you ess that?¡± Hellna asked.


    The Major looked at Nann and saw tears in the woman¡¯s eyes. The redhead returned her look and nodded, a steely resolve returning to her gaze. ¡°The Major¡¯s right. We need Ray¡¯s data and there¡¯s only one way to get it. We¡¯ll have to return to Earth.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

 60

    Jack slowly surfaced from the depths of his mind and groaned from the pounding in his head.


    He tried to move his arms but they seemed to be locked down to a tform he was lying on. His neck, waist, and legs were also mped to the surface. He couldn¡¯t see anything in the inky darkness of the chamber he was being held captive in. Oppressive heat bathed his body and sweat covered his limbs. The air was too stale and breathing was difficult. He felt like he was suffocating.


    A deep rumbling droned on and on in his ears.


    He tried to call out but he couldn¡¯t get a breath and his voice was drowned out by the rumbling.


    He suddenly realized he was going to die in this pit of darkness and heat.


    Alone.


    His mind shed back to the nightmare he¡¯d had not so long ago and how he¡¯d woken up then with two lovely women sleeping on him. He desperately wanted that to happen again but his body was telling him this time he was awake.


    There was a sharp creak sound and a light went on above his face, the brightness stabbing into his eyes and making his head throb badly.


    ¡°Open your eyes¡­ worm thing.¡±


    Great, an Allsa Komanae. One with a poor grasp of human insults. Still,pany waspany. Jack slowly opened his eyes and saw the usual trio of cowl wearing figures standing next to the tform. The one in the center would be the speaker of course. An almost giddy desperation swept over Jack so he looked into the hood of the one on the left. ¡°What can I do for you this fine day?¡± he croaked.


    The center wasn¡¯t happy with being ignored. Not one bit. Jack received a jab in the side with some kind of nerve prod and he had to bite down hard to keep from screaming. When his vision cleared he saw the center disciplining the fellow on the left. Jack was pissed. He stared into the right cowl and grit his teeth. ¡°And what the FUCK do you want?¡±


    Once more the prod jabbed Jack and he growled his rage as he pulled at the bindings. As quickly as it surged his strength left him and he fainted.


    When Jack woke he felt a straw being pressed between his lips. His first instinct was to mp his lips tight as it could be poison. Then his situation returned to him. He sucked at the straw and was rewarded with stale, warm water. No poison. He drank his fill before the straw was pulled back, spilling drops across his mouth and chin.


    Soft fingers wiped the moisture away.


    He opened his eyes again and saw¡­ an Altarian? No¡­ simr but not quite the same. His eyesight was still blurry from fatigue. Jack looked at the hand hovering above his mouth. Three fingers, one thumb. Wiry strength in that hand. Lean muscles in the arm, covered with a fine grey fur. Small scars here and there where the fur didn¡¯t grow. Some looked like burns. The being was wearing some kind of baggy tunic over its torso and the fabric had seen better days. His eyes could focus now so he looked up to its¡­ no, her face. He could be wrong as he¡¯d never seen this race before but his radar was telling him this was a female. Regardless of the presence of horns.


    Unlike his which grew up from his forehead and swept back over his head, hers projected from the sides of her head and curved down and forward. The tips were covered by rounded metal caps. Most likely to blunt the points. Grey with irregr bands of ck, he thought they were lovely.


    Jack looked left and right and couldn¡¯t hear anything over the droning sound that continued to dominate the sound in the room. He was still strapped down and he had no idea how long he¡¯d been there.


    He looked up at the woman once more. Large, shockingly pale grey eyes, small ck leathery nose, again with a small scar crossing it, ck lips in a wide mouth with one major difference from the Altarians. The points of two fangs could be seen resting on her thick lower lip. He¡¯d have to see her other teeth to tell if she was a true carnivore or an omnivore like him. Her ears though, they were broad, furred triangles with white tufts. Definitely mobile, they were constantly moving, twitching, twisting and focusing the sounds around her.


    From the little he could see she looked like she¡¯d missed a few too many meals and been worked a little too hard. Still, she had a soft touch. Her fingers were back on his lips again, just the lightest of touches, and after all the abuse he¡¯d experienced it was very soothing to feel a gentle caress.


    ¡°What¡­ what are you?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Human and Altarian,¡± he replied as quietly.


    Her face showed her confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t know either of those names but how can you be both?¡±


    ¡°I was Human and¡­ well, it¡¯s aplicated story. I¡¯ve never met anyone who looks like you either. What are you?¡± Jack asked.


    She pulled her hand away and her expression closed up. ¡°I am nothing.¡±


    ¡°Not to me you¡¯re not. Your touch was the first expression of kindness I¡¯ve experienced since I was abducted. Thank you,¡± Jack said sincerely.


    She shook her head angrily and left the room.


    He didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d said to offend her but he was upset with himself for driving her away. Hey there on his back wishing she¡¯de back. When the door suddenly opened again he almost called out in his excitement. He throttled down his emotions brutally as they were clearly getting out of control.


    Three cloaked figures again. He remembered the pain stick from the previous meeting so he held his tongue and watched carefully.


    ¡°Your discipline cor is ready. It will be ced on your neck and from that time on you will be punished for any and all insubordination with overwhelming pain. Our scientists have determined the boundaries of human resistance to pain through careful study and experimentation. Humans are no different from any other inferior race when ites to the aversion to pain. It is a very effective means of control.¡±


    ¡°Great, a pain cor,¡± Jack thought. He wondered how his hybrid nature would affect his resistance to it.


    As if reading his mind the Allsa Komanae went on. ¡°This one is calibrated to inflict 50% stronger pain than a normal human cor would output. If unconsciousness is requested it will increase beyond that until the goal is reached. The cors are tamper proof. Charges will detonate if the cor is breached or if death is requested.¡±


    ¡°If death is requested?¡± Jack thought. This sales pitch needed work.


    ¡°Cors are linked to ourworks so your location will be known at all times. It can be activated at any time. If you were to somehow leave the area of thework the cor will render you unconscious and after a period of time it will detonate if it is not reset by your master. Is all of this understood?¡±


    Jack saw no benefit in antagonizing them. ¡°Yes,¡± he sighed.


    The one on the left stepped forward and touched something on the table Jack was strapped to. The sides of the headrest came up and mped his head painfully tight until he couldn¡¯t budge. The table¡¯s neck restraint released and sunk into the table. Then the surface under his neck pulled away leaving the back of his neck exposed. The Allsa Komanae on the right then stepped forward and opened a long narrow ck container. It reached inside and carefully lifted out a stiff band of small interlocking silver rectangles, two inches high by one inch wide and lined up along their wide side. How this¡­ bar of metal was supposed to wrap around his neck Jack had no idea. The center of the metal band had arger silver section that curved down to a point like a deep ¡®V¡¯. It almost made him think of the expanding metal watch band on his father¡¯s watch but muchrger. If he didn¡¯t know the evil intent of the device he would have been impressed with its beauty. Even in the dim light of the room the silver surface gleamed. The pattern on its surface was intricate and ornately detailed. He didn¡¯t understand why someone would go to the effort of making such a terrible device attractive. It made no sense.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    The Allsa Komanae meticulously positioned the ¡®V¡¯ center of the band just below his Adam¡¯s apple and over the notch of his corbone. It slowly lowered the device until Jack felt the cool metal on his skin. Then he felt the skin under the metal begin to prickle and crawl like a thousand tiny needles were pricking him. The ornate center link on the cor began to grip his skin and the area suddenly felt cold. The next two links settled against his skin and the prickling sensation continued. Once they settled and shocked him with their numbing cold the next two segments unlocked and lowered. Jack¡¯s difort was increasing and he had the oddest sensation of being slowly strangled. His breathing wasn¡¯t being impacted but he felt himself sucking in breaths in gulps. This caused the links already bonded to him to shift and adjust their positions with an odd high pitched hiss and chime sound.


    The sensation began to be unbearable but there was nothing he could do as the ends of the cor slowly made their way around his extra wide neck. The cold got worse and worse and he had to grit his teeth together to keep from crying out. Then through the cold he felt fine metallic tendrils digging into the flesh and bones of his neck and this pain wasn¡¯t at all reduced by the cold. The cor was digging in. When the ends met and snapped together above his spine the pain spiked and it was all he could feel.


    He screamed until he passed out.


    Jack felt the soft touch on his lips once more. It was such a contrast to thest sensation he recalled he gasped involuntarily. The hand pulled back abruptly. His eyes cracked open and he was no longer in the dark chamber. He felt the softness of a mattress under him and the room was brightly lit from sunlight pouring in the windows. He looked around in confusion.


    ¡°Wh-¡± he began then coughed as his dry throat cracked. He felt hands holding a cup in front of his lips so he sipped at the water. It was cool and refreshing this time.


    Heid back on the pillow and blinked his eyes until his sight cleared. The grey furred being was back, sitting on the mattress next to him. Jack resolved not to say anything that might frighten her off likest time.


    She¡¯d received an upgrade in her tunic. The new one still exposed her arms and seemed to reach her knees but it was white and clean. He looked down at himself and he was wearing the same kind of white tunic as she was. White really wasn¡¯t his color.


    She was looking at his neck with a wary expression. He looked at hers and was horrified to see terrible scarring. The fur was gone in strips of scar tissue encircling her neck. There had to have been at least four of them around her neck just above a thin silver band much like his but without the ornate design on its surface. It had a small ¡®V¡¯ positioned at the base of her neck like his.


    The scar just above the silver band looked fresh. The ones above were older and had all healed in the past. The oldest looking ones were wider and each seemed to be a little narrower until the current band which was barely as wide as Jack¡¯s pinkie finger.


    ¡°Is there something wrong with my neck?¡± he asked quietly.

 61

    She shook her head but she didn¡¯t take her eyes from the band. Jack slowly pushed himself to a seated position. The cor felt odd. The skin under it was still a little tender so he was aware it was there from little barbs of pain when he moved. However, it didn¡¯t tug as he¡¯d expected it to considering how it was embedded in his skin.


    With a nce at hispanion he put his feet on the floor noticing the white slippers he was wearing. His nerves buzzed a little from the memory of the pain but he closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. When he was ready he stood and walked over to the window. The sunlight struck his cor and sshed reflections over the walls. He was dazzled and staggered back¡­ into her arms. He felt her strength as she steadied him. She was thin and small, the top of her head barely reaching his shoulder, but she had considerable strength in her hands and arms. The two broad toes on her cloven hoofs gave her excellent stability.


    He got his bnce again and looked at her. He needed to know what to call her. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    She frowned like he¡¯d insulted her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Do not thank me. Do not acknowledge me. I am nothing. It is my role,¡± she said slowly like it was a lesson he needed to learn.


    ¡°I won¡¯t do that. That¡¯s not who I am. I won¡¯t pretend you¡¯re nothing because that¡¯s not who or what you are!¡±


    ¡°You will be disciplined if you do not follow the roles we are assigned,¡± she scowled at his stubbornness.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    He shrugged. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be punished. I¡¯m not going to change who I am for them.¡±


    ¡°Who you are isn¡¯t more important than survival!¡± she growled quietly in frustration.


    ¡°If I survive but I¡¯m no longer a person I can respect, what have I survived for?¡± he asked.


    She looked at him in fury. He took that as a good sign. She still had spirit.


    ¡°What do I call you?¡± he asked.


    She looked at him like he was mentally challenged. ¡°You don¡¯t call me anything!¡± she hissed quietly.


    ¡°Eve it is then.¡± The name just popped into his head. Maybe because she was the ¡®first woman¡¯ he¡¯d met in this awful ce. He looked around. There was nothing out the ¡®window¡¯. It was a light well, piping sunlight in from above. They were probably deep underground. This particr ce wasn¡¯t too awful but the dark ce where he¡¯d met her had been. ¡°Eve, is there a mirror around here where I can see myself and this cor?¡±


    She was looking at him a little strangely then she shook her head and frowned again. She set off purposefully towards a doorway so he followed. He was relieved to see standard humanpatible hygienic facilities for waste and cleaning. At least it looked something like a toilet and shower. But no way to see his reflection.


    Eve touched the wall and it became a mirror. There they stood side by side. At least he wasn¡¯t dressed in that ridiculous leather and rhinestone outfit with the cape! He saw the same rounded metal caps Eve was wearing on her horns had been added to the points of his too. He stepped closer and inspected the cor. It really was a finely crafted and beautifully ornate piece of torture hardware.


    ¡°Any idea why my pain cor is so fancy?¡± he asked quietly.


    ¡°Discipline cor,¡± she corrected with a sigh. ¡°I was told we belong to the Prime. This symbol at the center represents the Prime, but¡­ I have never seen a cor like yours.¡± Eve said equally quiet.


    ¡°I wonder if that¡¯s a good thing or a bad thing.¡± Jack mumbled.


    A chime sounded and Eve rushed from the bathroom then darted back and pulled Jack¡¯s arm with her surprising strength to follow her into the middle of the room where they stood side by side. Jack looked at her in confusion and she scowled at him. ¡°Eyes forward and down,¡± she hissed quietly.


    The door opened and in walked a single Allsa Komanae. Jack was momentarily confused. He¡¯d never seen one on its own before. They always traveled in threes.


    ¡°So this is Jack Danner,¡± the cloaked being before him said thoughtfully as it stopped a few feet away. ¡°I expected¡­ more.¡±


    Jack was too surprised to be insulted. The Allsa Komanae¡¯s voice was deep and rich, a far cry from the rough t tones which typically emanated from the dark cowls. Its clothing seemed like it was made of finer materials as well.


    ¡°And you are?¡± Jack asked. He saw Eve twitch when he spoke.


    ¡°Ah, you have so much to learn about your new role,¡± the deep voice sighed regretfully.


    Jack¡¯s brain lit up and he found himself gasping on the floor as his body spasmed painfully.


    ¡°That was just a mild lesson in how not to speak to your superiors,¡± the Allsa Komanae said in a conversational tone.


    Jack got his arms under himself and painfully pushed himself up. Onto his knees. That was as far as he could get as his muscles were trembling in memory of the pain.


    He felt Eve¡¯s hands on his arm and she helped him to his feet then immediately let go and went back to staring at the floor. Jack wanted to thank her but the cloaked figure would likely punish her. It was safer for her if he followed her wishes¡­ while in the presence of Allsa Komanae.


    ¡°When I ask you to speak you may address me as ¡®First¡¯. Is that clear?¡±


    Jack almost replied but nodded his head instead. He heard First make a little sound of disappointment.


    ¡°You will also avert your eyes from any and all citizens. You are not worthy of looking upon your masters so you will not.¡±


    Once more Jack found himself on the floor, this time on his back. The remnants of the pain from hisst visit to the floor hadn¡¯t left his muscles so now he had some serious cramping. He wasn¡¯t able to move his legs as the muscles just trembled. He wondered if the asshole was really using a mild setting or was ying at the top end of the scale. Thetter seemed likely. Anything higher and he might not survive.


    ¡°Are you beginning to understand your new role? You may speak,¡± First asked.


    ¡°I understand these lessons are likely going to kill me. I can¡¯t move my legs,¡± he croaked.


    First made an annoyed sound and left the room. When it returned it was followed by another Allsa Komanae who immediately knelt down beside Jack and ran some kind of device up and down Jack¡¯s legs. It froze then looked up at First and made a quiet hissing sound.


    First hissed back much louder and the kneeling figure cowered.


    ¡°You are neither Human nor Altarian. You appear to be some kind of freakish hybrid. The cor was calibrated incorrectly. This will be rectified. Killing you before the Prime arrives would¡­ displease her.¡±


    ¡°So you aren¡¯t the Prime?¡± Jack groaned.


    ¡°I am First.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not confusing at all,¡± he sighed.


    First was silent. Jack got the impression the self-important jerk was itching to push the pain button again.


    ¡°Take care of his legs,¡± it barked at Eve and left. The other Allsa Komanae hustled after it and the door closed.


    Eve bent down and got her arms under Jack¡¯s shoulders and dragged him backwards over to the bed tform. The bed dropped down into the floor and she pulled him right up onto it. Once she stepped off the bed lifted back up. Jack realized this likely meant they were under observation. Maybe by the Allsa Komanae who checked his legs earlier?


    Once the bed was back to its original height Eve moved to the end of the bed and pushed his tunic up to expose his legs.


    Jack grabbed the hem and pushed it back down to cover his privates. ¡°Hey!¡±


    Eve gave him an exasperated look. ¡°I need to massage the knots out of your leg muscles.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you get permission for a free show.¡±


    ¡°A free show?¡± she asked with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°You know, of my privates.¡±


    ¡°There is no privacy. You need to ept this as your new reality. Our masters see all and know all. There can be no secrets from them,¡± Eve exined slowly as she tried to tug the hem of his tunic up again.


    Jack tugged it back down. ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I meant by privates! I meant my¡­ sex organs,¡± he said ufortably. ¡°Besides, there are all kinds of ways secrets can be kept. I¡¯m not buying into this crap about their all seeing all knowing abilities. They aren¡¯t gods. They bleed and they die just like we do. I¡¯ve personally seen it.¡±


    Eve¡¯s eyes were wide. She looked nervously towards the ceiling. Then she turned her eyes to him and scowled. ¡°Let me do my job. I have been ordered to take care of your legs. I must do this.¡±

 62

    ¡°Sure but you don¡¯t need to see everything to do that. Here I¡¯ll lift it this high.¡± Jack pulled the hem up higher but kept one hand in ce to keep his essentials hidden.


    She growled quietly but began at his feet.


    God her hands were strong! Jack soon melted under her skillful kneading.


    ¡°Oh my god Eve, your hands are amazing! You were obviously sent from Heaven to resurrect my body.¡±


    She gave him another hostile look. ¡°Stop calling me Eve and stop thanking me for doing my job! I told you I am nothing! You must learn this to survive!¡±


    Jack just stared at her in frustration as she moved her hands further up his legs. The knots wererger the further up she went. They were also more painful to massage out but he held his tongue as the areas she¡¯dpleted felt so much better.


    Finally she could go no further because of his grip on the hem of his tunic. She stopped and returned his frustrated look.


    ¡°What?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I need to go higher. Release your tunic. I have seen¡­ sex organs of many species. Nothing is surprising, frightening, amusing, or even interesting anymore. I promise I will not scream orugh or make any judgemental noises,¡± she exined slowly to her dim student.


    Jack sighed. ¡°None of that was a concern.¡± He frowned. He really did need her to finish. ¡°Fine.¡± He pulled his hands away and she pushed the hem up to his stomach. Her hands went right back to work and he had to grit his teeth as the knots on his upper thighs were especiallyrge and sore.


    After a particrly tight knot loosened he sagged to the mattress and she seemed to be done. He looked down at Eve to see why she was so quiet. She was looking closely at his groin with a confused expression.


    ¡°Hey! You said you weren¡¯t going to ogle my stuff!¡± Jack said sitting up to push the hem of his tunic back down.


    She looked up at him in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I haven¡¯t seen one that looks like yours. I- I can¡¯t figure out how it would work. It seems too soft.¡±


    Jack blushed. ¡°Of course it¡¯s soft. It¡¯s in a rxed state!¡±


    ¡°But- but it¡¯s just skin and flesh! There¡¯s no rigid tes, sheath, or even an exottice to force a female open!¡± Eve eximed.


    ¡°Force a female open¡­¡± Jack¡¯s voice faded as he stared at Eve. ¡°Have you had sex before?¡±


    ¡°Of course I have. My first two masters used me for the games. I won many, many times for them. I have been pitted against many different races. All have had some form of armor on their sexual organs to ensure pration and delivery.¡±


    Jack¡¯s head was spinning. ¡°Wait- wait! Games? Sex games? The Allsa Komanae make their ves have sex for sport? As apetition?¡±


    Eve was giving him that pitying look again. Such a slow student.


    ¡°Yes, Allsa Komanae can¡¯t have sex themselves but they can link their sensory systems to our ve cors in the games and feel what we feel. The ve thatsts the longest and delivers the most pleasure feedback through their link wins and the master of the winner earns a status promotion while the defeated is demoted. Based on the difference in levels between the challenger and the defender the resulting change can be small or dramatic. First achieved its rank through this means. Since the return of the Prime was announced the games were suspended. First ordered this as there are to be no significant status level changes until the Prime arrives. This was not a popr order as there are very few other ways to rapidly increase the level of Allsa Komanae.


    Jack tucked that little bit of information away. Back to something she said. ¡°You said the Allsa Komanae can¡¯t have sex. What does that mean?¡±


    Eve nced nervously towards the ceiling but no painful discipline struck so she seemed to take that as permission to speak. ¡°It is believed they no longer have the physical capacity. They are an ancient race. They are heavily reliant on cybeics, a field they are unsurpassed in. The discipline cors are just one example of their brilliant expertise. No one is sure how much organic life is contained within their robes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve punched one before and my fist struck something organic in the hood¡­ well, mostly organic. I felt something break.¡±


    Eve¡¯s eyes grew very wide as she looked at him. Then she moved back a little and looked to the ceiling once more. Still no pain.


    Jack decided he¡¯d better change the subject to keep her talking. ¡°You say you¡¯ve had two masters?¡±


    ¡°Five now.¡± She pointed to the four scars circling her neck and the new cor.


    ¡°Why did they rece the cors? That looks terribly painful?¡± Jack said looking closer at the damaged to Eve¡¯s neck.


    ¡°No master would ept a ve with a cor once controlled by apetitor. Too risky that it might be detonated at an unfortunate time. When a ve is exchanged the old cor must be removed. Most ves don¡¯t survive more than three exchanges.¡± Eve said in a matter of fact tone.


    Jack looked again at her scars. ¡°You have endured a lot of pain in your life.¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°It is my role.¡± Jack scowled. ¡°We will not be exchanged now that we belong to the Prime. No Allsa Komanae would dare challenge the Prime so she is our final master. Until she dispatches us herself of course.¡±


    Jack shook his head. She could show stubbornness to him but she waspletely subservient to the Allsa Komanae. He thought of something. ¡°How long have you been a ve?¡±


    ¡°I have always been a ve.¡±


    Ah, Jack thought. This exined a lot.


    ¡°Have you ever seen any others of your kind?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No.¡± She looked in the direction of his groin again. ¡°Will you tell me now how your sexual organ works? I am wondering if such softness would be an advantage or a disadvantage in a game.¡±


    Jack looked at Eve feeling distinctly ufortable. Time to change the subject.


    ¡°It works just fine. I don¡¯t get why they pit physically ipatible races against each other in the games.¡± Jack growled.


    ¡°It makes the betting more exciting for the Allsa Komanae. You have to find a way to feel pleasure from yourpetitor, find a way to bring their pleasure to a peak quickly while maintaining your pleasure levels at their highest for as long as you can.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ what if your partner is causing you pain?¡± Jack asked hesitantly, thinking of herment before about being forced open.


    ¡°Competitor, not partner. ves are not allowed to cause other ves pain. Your cor will punish you for that. Remember, the Allsa Komanae are connected to the ves in the game and they do not want to feel pain.¡±


    Eve sighed. ¡°I enjoyed the games. I was good at it and I brought my masters great sess until no Allsa Komanae would bet against me. I was retired from the games. Myst two master¡¯s did not put me into the games.¡±


    ¡°How long ago was yourst¡­ game?¡± Jack asked awkwardly. This was one of the most ufortable conversations he¡¯d had in some time.


    Eve shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t keep track of time like that. There is no point in it.¡±


    Jack nodded to himself. He supposed that made sense for her. He looked around the room. Besides the window to the light well the only other exit was the door at the far end of the room. ¡°Are we going to be kept in this room indefinitely?¡±


    ¡°No, once you¡¯ve been taught your new role we will be allowed to move to the Prime¡¯s ve barracks. I don¡¯t know what other ves will be there. I guess we will find out when we get there.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get why the Allsa Komanae or the Prime for that matter need ves.¡± Jack said in confusion. He looked at Eve. ¡°I mean aside from getting their jollies feeling other people¡¯s sexual activity.¡±


    ¡°We are theirs to use as they wish. Manualbor,b experiments, status symbols, entertainment¡­ whatever they desire.¡± Eve said slowly in her teaching mode.


    Jack rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t any of the ves ever escaped? There must have been some ves clever enough to get past the locator and thework sensor in the cor.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Where would they go?¡± Eve asked.


    Jack gave Eve a frustrated look. ¡°Through a Gate then anywhere!¡±


    ¡°There are no Gates.¡±


    Jack froze. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We are on the Allsa Komanae home. There are no Gates. The only way to leave it is on one of the inteary jump ships like the one we were on when we met.¡±


    ¡°I was on a spaceship?¡± Jack croaked.


    She looked at him in concern. ¡°They are called jump ships, not spaceships but yes. You did not know?¡± Jack could only shake his head. ¡°You would have been brought through a Gate to Allsa One. This is their central administration, the only one with Gates connected to the outerwork. From Allsa One you were transferred to the ship. I was on the ship in stasis until we were well on our way back. Then I was woken to care for you as we returned to the home world.¡±


    ¡°What about the Tik? They can open Gates to anywhere. Couldn¡¯t they find the?¡± Jack insisted.

 63

    ¡°I have never met or seen a Tik but I have heard my masters talk of them. The Allsa Komanae do not allow Tik the leave the Cargo Gate terminal on Allsa One¡­ except back through the Gates to the outerwork of course. The coordinates of the home world are a secret. No Tik has ever ¡®found it¡¯. Only the pilots of the ships know how to find it.¡± Eve exined with a sad expression as she saw how distressed he was bing.


    ¡°So¡­ no way off the except on one of the ships. Has anyone tried to seize one of the ships?¡± Jack asked but he had a sinking feeling he knew what the answer would be.


    ¡°Your cor will incapacitate you automatically if you aren¡¯t authorized to be at the spaceport.¡±


    ¡°Well that sucks.¡± Jack flopped back on the bed and scowled. His chances for escape seemed to be slim to none. He¡¯d have to rely on being rescued. He knew his friends the Altarians would turn over every stone until they found him. He¡¯d just have to stay alive until they did.


    Eve was watching his face closely when he sat back up and turned his eyes back to her. He knew what she needed to hear. He sighed. ¡°Ok, escape is out. Survival it is,¡± he said and her face lit up with a relieved smile.


    ¡°Good!¡±


    ¡°What do we do all day?¡± he asked.


    ¡°That will depend on what our master wants us to do. My previous masters had me run errands. Deliver sensitive messages, pick up packages, and some administrative work. This was after I was retired from the games. I don¡¯t know what a Prime will need from us. I hope I can be productive for her.¡± Eve looked a little worried.


    ¡°Do we get time to ourselves? Time to exercise?¡± Jack asked as he looked at his slippers. He thought longingly of the new running shoes he¡¯d purchased.


    ¡°There is a gym for maintaining our health.¡± Eve said.


    ¡°I prefer to run. Distance running. Outside. Is that going to be possible?¡± Jack asked.


    She gave him a sad expression and shook her head. He just nodded and frowned.


    His stomach took that moment to remind him it hadn¡¯t seen food in some time.


    ¡°That I can do something about,¡± Eve said as she stood and walked to a recessed slot in the wall. She examined the settings on the dispenser. She walked back to him with an apologetic smile. ¡°Actually I¡¯ll need you to stand in front of the dispenser. Your bio profile hasn¡¯t been recorded in the machine so it hasn¡¯t been calibrated for your diet yet.¡±


    She helped him stand and lent him a shoulder to lean on as they walked back to the machine. The pain in his legs wasn¡¯t too bad. She¡¯d done an awesome job of massaging them.


    He stood before the dispenser and let it scan his body. The beam made him feel a little queasy but soon it was over and a tube of green paste and a tube of red paste were dropped into the machine¡¯s cavity. He pulled them out.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he asked holding the tubes up.


    ¡°Food,¡± Eve replied curiously.


    ¡°Nutrient paste. This is nutrient paste. It¡¯s not food.¡± Jack was pissed but he was also hungry so he tore the cap off of the red tube and squeezed out a drop to taste it. ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s an unpleasant vor. I¡¯ll just assume it¡¯s giving my body what it needs and bear with it, right?¡± Eve nodded nervously as she could see he was upset. He finished the red tube and moved on to the green. It tasted worse but he finished it too.


    ¡°So insufficient clothing, no running for exercise, crappy food, and I¡¯m to treat my new masters like gods. I¡¯m learning my new role quickly.¡±


    Eve was still looking at him nervously.


    The door chimed and three Allsa Komanae entered. He looked to the one in the center. It lifted something and Jack¡¯s brain just had time to register it might be a weapon when his body felt like it was being lit up like a Christmas tree. He just had time to think ¡®Fucking assholes!¡¯ then ckness.


    >>>>


    Major Cha¡¯Risa Ash was fuming. She¡¯d already passed through her rage phase. The remaining members of her team waited patiently for her simmering anger to crystalize into decisive forward momentum. In the seven years they¡¯d been together the team had grown ustomed to each other¡¯s idiosyncrasies.


    They were reeling from the loss of their friend and colleague Ray Sharif who¡¯d been theirm tech specialist and might still be their savior if they could get to his private data cache.


    Unfortunately it was hidden on Earth and they were currently on Altaria. They could go to Earth but the moment they stepped through a Gate they¡¯d be arrested for treason.


    Once the Minister of Earth Security Council Ruan Steyn filed charges of treason against them they found their ess to Earth¡¯swork was blocked. Their ounts were frozen. They needed to get back to Earth to locate Ray¡¯s personal data vault and find out if he¡¯d been able to trace the abduction money from the LA Gate Terminus to its source. Ray had been a tech genius. Once he had the beginnings of a thread, in this case the smuggling ring at the terminus, tracking its connections wouldn¡¯t have been too challenging for him. He¡¯d been murdered at the terminus but Mr. Steyn imed he had Ray¡¯s report. He sent a copy of it to the Altarian Minister of Security, Hellna, who shared it with the team. The Major and Nann immediately identified the report as a counterfeit since Ray¡¯s digital signature was missing from the file. Ruan imed this wasn¡¯t proof of anything as he suggested that Ray had been under attack and might have forgotten to add it. The Major¡¯s argument that Ray would never have filed a report without a signature regardless of the circumstances wasn¡¯t epted. Ruan filed charges against the team the following day when they didn¡¯t voluntarily surrender themselves.


    So here they sat in a veryfortable lounge in the Altarian Security Ministry headquarters with the two security officers, Gee and Bal, who were with them when their careers went off the rails.


    Hellna walked into the lounge with a datam. ¡°Queen Elissa has supplied me with all of the historical records we have of the Mahrell Drun. These can be verified by the Tik who have their own records as some of them were there at the time and their history is passed down and shared amongst their poption.¡±


    The Major turned to her and lifted herm to ept the data dump. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any idea of how you are going to reach the data cache yet?¡± Hellna asked.


    ¡°There are people I can reach out to. People I trust in high ranking positions but I can¡¯t call them from here,¡± the Major sighed.


    ¡°You are not restricted to Altaria. You may go through the Gates to any you wish,¡± Hellna said, tilting her head curiously.


    ¡°We don¡¯t exactly have a lot of experience with others. We work exclusively on Earth. I wouldn¡¯t know the first thing about whichs are safe for us to go to considering the hate the Allsa Komanae have for us,¡± the Major supplied.


    ¡°Gee and Bal have offered to assist you in this next phase of the mission. They will take you anywhere you need to go,¡± the Minister said gesturing to the two security officers who just nodded.


    The team looked at the two ebony Altarians. When they¡¯d first met them the trainedmandos had written them off because of their dainty size, the seemingly useless gossamer gowns they wore, and their quiet natures. They quickly learned the agents were quick thinking professionals who held their tongues until they had something important to say, wasted no time on unproductive recriminations, and were surprisingly deadly in a firefight. Unlike the uniformly civilized behavior seen in the rest of the Altarian poption the quiet agents apparently nurtured some blood lust. This was graphically demonstrated by Bal¡¯s almost gleeful enjoyment of using their organic explosives back on Rehm.


    This especially endeared the agents to Leo and Maxim who also liked things that went boom.


    ¡°Alright, thank you. Where should we go to find Tik with the required knowledge of the Mahrell Drun to augment the Queen¡¯s report? It also has to be a hospitable world that we can contact Earth from.¡±


    ¡°Chuuruthia,¡± Gee said. ¡°There are no Allsa Komanae on Chuuruthia. The also hosts a Tik enve as the Tik have one of their Instantiation factories there.¡±


    ¡°Where the Tik are born?¡± Nann asked curiously.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Gee answered. ¡°The enve will likely have some senior Tik who might have direct experience though it was a very long time ago.¡±


    They wasted no further time now that they had the beginnings of a n. The trip back to the Gate Terminal was quick and the team was d to see their weapons again.


    ¡°Please do a quick inspection as we will need to take them under our gowns once more,¡± Gee said and Leo and Maxim made disappointed sounds. They took their weapons and skilled fingers ran through their inspection but found the weapons to be in exactly the same condition they¡¯d been in when they surrendered them. With unhappy frowns they handed them over to Bal.


    Once Gee had the Major¡¯s and Nann¡¯s weapons stowed they arranged a Gate to Chuuruthia and made their way to the Gate hall.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never met a Chuuruthian. What are they like?¡± Nann asked.


    ¡°They are civilized and intelligent. Deeply empathic and highly cultured. A lovely people,¡± Gee replied.


    ¡°Like Altarians then,¡± the Major said as she confirmed herm was secured in her pocket. Gee looked at the tall warrior and smiled.


    ¡°Thank you for theparison. One difference is their males are equal to their females in all ways. An exceptional bnce! Chuuruthians are highly sought after for their skills as physicians and surgeons and their scientificmunity is also very well respected on all worlds.¡±


    They approached the mirror surface of the Gate and stepped through. The Major immediately picked up the lovely scent of flowers. She felt herself rxing and a smile slipped onto her lips. ¡°It certainly smells like a nice,¡± she remarked.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Gee and Bal exchanged the smallest of smiles. The glorious red and yellow shes of light on the far side of therge Gate chamber was sunlight reflecting from the petals of the Che Orchid, the official flower of Chuuruthia. The flowers also had a very pleasant scent which had a calming and sometimes mildly euphoric effect.


    They approached the customs desk and the humans got their first look at a Chuuruthian.


    They were a race of feline aliens which had been described as looking somewhat like Earth¡¯s Caracal cats. Small in stature at 1. 5 metres tall, they had tan fur covered by colorful robes and they wore beautiful earrings in theirrge pointed ears.


    ¡°Wee to Chuuruthia! May I have your names and purpose of your visit please,¡± the clerk said.


    Leo began to chuckle and that seemed to set Maxim off. Nann looked at the two men like they¡¯d lost their minds but the Major just grinned at them.


    ¡°I am Gee and this is Bal. We are representatives of the Altarian Security Ministry. Ourpanions are Major Cha¡¯Risa Ash, Captain Nann Graf, Corporal Leo Orlov and Corporal Maxim Volkov. They are from Earth¡¯s Security Council Force. Before we get to the reason for our visit I believe the Humans are a little sensitive to the flora.¡±

 64

    ¡°Ah! Our apologies! Here, have them smell this. It neutralizes the effect of the flower¡¯s scent.¡± The Chuuruthian handed Gee and Bal some small white fabric packets. The Altarians distributed them and demonstrated how to use them.


    Leo and Maxim both took a deep sniff and within seconds they were both frowning in embarrassment at their earlier behavior.


    Nann indicated she was fine but the Major took a packet and inhaled deeply. Her grin softened and she looked at the Altarian curiously. ¡°What was that?¡± she asked.


    Gee pointed to the flowers. ¡°The scent of the Che Orchids can sometimes have a mildly intoxicating effect.¡± She turned back to the Chuuruthian. ¡°We need to speak with a Tik elder if any are avable as we believe the Mahrell Drun are back.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with the name Mahrell Drun,¡± the clerk said nervously.


    ¡°It is our belief that the Allsa Komanae are actually descendants of the Mahrell Drun. We have evidence that one of their Prime¡¯s has returned to reorganize and revitalize the Allsa Komanae. Comparatively the Mahrell Drun¡¯s skill at disrupting peaceful societies puts the Allsa Komanae to shame.¡±


    The Chuuruthian¡¯s long whiskers were trembling with nervousness. It didn¡¯t seem to know how to proceed.


    ¡°Perhaps you could point us in the direction of transportation to the Tik Enve and contact Chuuruthian Security to have a representative meet us there. We will share our findings with them at that time,¡± Gee suggested and the clerk nodded quickly. It pointed to the doorway at the far right of the building.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    With a nod Gee led the group to the door and outside. There was an automated taxi service. Gee entered the number of people in their group and was notified arger vehicle was on its way to pick them up.


    The Major leaned in a little closer. ¡°Why did that clerk be agitated when you mentioned the Allsa Komanae?¡± she asked.


    Gee looked up. ¡°The Allsa Komanae attempted to kill the Chuuruthian poption with a gically engineered virus. That¡¯s why you won¡¯t find any Allsa Komanae on the. They¡¯ve been banned.¡±


    Themandos looked around the grounds of the Gate Terminal and were impressed with how beautifullyndscaped they were.


    Arge, open vehicle with rows of seating descended next to the tform they were on and they climbed aboard once it stopped. Gee gave their destination and the vehicle slipped back up into the sky to rush towards the southern horizon. The speed of the vehicle increased until thend below rushed by in a blur but there was no wind distortion within the seating area.


    ¡°Outside of a few covert operations I can¡¯t go into the details for I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever travelled this quickly at such a low altitude before,¡± the Major remarked.


    ¡°Yes, this haste seems to indicate we¡¯ve been given quite a high priority by the Chuuruthian air traffic authority,¡± Gee agreed.


    As they travelled they admired the scenery in the distance as the nearby terrain was moving far too quickly to watchfortably. Soon they saw something glittering on the horizon and their speed began to diminish. They also saw a second vehicle moving on a trajectory simr to theirs. It was much smaller and enclosed. Their speed dropped quickly as they approached the source of the glittering. Dozens of brand new chrome Tik were flying here and there over arge building. All of them moved with a sense of purpose. Nann likened it to a bee hive.


    The taxi settled to the ground outside of the building and the smaller vehicle settled down next to it where two Chuuruthians stepped out and walked over to meet them.


    ¡°Greetings! I am Security Minister Stenn and this is Secretary of Defence Kressel. I was informed that you have information regarding a possible Allsa Komanae mobilization. I was contacted by the Altarian Security Minister earlier indicating I should expect you. Am I speaking with Gee and Bal?¡±


    Gee stepped forward. ¡°I am Gee and this is Bal. Ourpanions are from Earth¡¯s Security Council Force.¡± Gee made the introductions.


    The Major stepped forward holding out herm. ¡°I have the data from Queen Elissa regarding the Mahrell Drun, a race that had their Gate revoked because of their destructive influence on the other worlds. We are going to speak with an elder Tik if any are avable to get confirmation and potentially any additional information we can get on the Mahrell Drun.¡± She looked over a Gee who nodded so she continued. ¡°We have reason to believe Earth¡¯s chain ofmand may have been infiltrated and subverted by agents working with the Allsa Komanae and ultimately with this new Prime.¡±


    They began walking towards the entrance to the building and Gee continued. ¡°Our Ambassador, Jack Danner, was abducted by mercenaries on Earth who passed him along to someone who used to be a senior Director in Earth¡¯s Trade Commission, a Mr. Goodson. He in turn smuggled him through a Cargo Gate with help from a smuggling ring to Rehm where the ones who ordered the abduction killed Goodson and took possession of the Ambassador. It was the Allsa Komanae. The trail goes cold at Rehm but it is our belief that the abduction was just one element of a n to disrupt rtions between Earth and Altaria.¡±


    The Chuuruthians looked at each other nervously, whiskers trembling. ¡°We have long believed the Allsa Komanae were a blight on civilization. To hear they may be the descendants of a race excised from the Gate Network for exactly these kinds of crimes seems to validate our concerns.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. However, we need more information on them so we can present this to people on Earth in positions of power that may be able to counteract the insurgence. We have no idea how deep the Allsa Komanae¡¯s influence goes within Earth¡¯s government.¡±


    ¡°Do you know of people you can trust?¡± Minister Stenn asked.


    The Major looked to him and nodded. ¡°The difficult part will be contacting them. My team and I are all being charged with Treason so my calls will be blocked. A call from a Tik would not be.¡±


    ¡°A call from the Chuuruthian Secretary of Defence would also go through I¡¯m sure.¡± Kressel offered.


    Themandos all looked at the Chuuruthian in surprise. ¡°Yes, that would be extremely generous of you. However, it might also put Chuuruthia¡¯s rtions with Earth in jeopardy as Altaria¡¯s is now.¡±


    ¡°There is no other race in the entire Gate Network we would be more honored to stand beside in such a conflict. The Altarians and the Chuuruthians are both known for our strict adherence to honorable and civilized behavior. The Allsa Komanae are the exact opposite. Someone needs to take a stand against them,¡± Kressel said firmly.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Gee and Bal said with a nod towards the man.


    They reached the doors and the two Altarians handed over the weapons they were carrying before they were admitted.


    The team looked towards the Secretary of Defence to see how he reacted but he just smiled at their concern. ¡°Not to worry. You entrusted your weapons with the Altarians. There is no better signal of your mutual trust which means the Chuuruthians can trust you as well,¡± he said.


    A Tik with some interesting stylized markings all over its chassis floated towards them. ¡°Hello! Wee to the Tik Enve on Chuuruthia. I am BassDrop. How may I assist you today?¡±


    Gee stepped forward. ¡°We would like to speak to any senior Tik or any who might have information on a race called the Mahrell Drun. We have reason to believe they have returned and are attempting to destabilize rtions between the Altarians and the Humans.¡±


    ¡°There are Altarians and Humans present in this group as well as Chuuruthians. I see no hostility,¡± it replied.


    ¡°The disruption is between our governments. The individuals you see before you are harmonious in our resolve to see this disruption end peacefully,¡± Gee exined. ¡°Is there a senior Tik present at the Enve?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there are two. I will contact them. Please wait here.¡± The Tik floated off down a hallway.


    ¡°BassDrop?¡± Maxim asked.


    ¡°Another human naming though I don¡¯t know what it means.¡± Bal offered with a frown.


    ¡°Is music. Dance club music. Loud. Powerful. Is good,¡± Leo grinned and Maxim rolled his eyes.


    They saw the Tik returning.


    ¡°They will see you now. Please follow me.¡± It set off down the hall and the group fell into step behind it. They exited out into a huge inner courtyard which was beautifullyndscaped. In the distance they saw a low tform situated in the middle of the open space. Two Tik were sitting upon raised sections of the tform.


    Leo suddenly made an excited sound. He moved closer to their guide. ¡°Excuse please. You were in Moscow? On Earth?¡±


    Without stopping its forward momentum BassDrop turned to face Leo. ¡°Yes I was. Shortly after I was Instantiated I worked the Cargo Gate in the Moscow Gate Terminus. How did you know?¡±


    Leo pulled up his sleeve and showed the Tik a tattoo he had on his thick right forearm. It was faded with age but it was a Spade shape with white beams of light emanating from behind it. The Tik chirped excitedly.


    ¡°Ah! I would often spend my enrichment time at Club Spade. The music was exceptional! I was allowed to make my own music there two nights a week. It was exhrating! The club manager gave me my name!¡±


    ¡°That tattoo is from a Russian dance club?¡± Nann asked with a smile. ¡°I thought it was military!¡±


    ¡°Music is good!¡± Leo insisted.


    BassDrop extended one of its metallic tentacles and touched its chassis and the group saw the identical symbol painted there. ¡°We are simr in our love of good music! Thank you for bringing this to my attention.¡±

 65

    Leo excitedly pulled out hism and touched the controls. Soon a booming bass line filled the space around them and Leo bobbed his head to the music. Nann reached over and shut it off as the wide eyed Chuuruthians were covering their sensitive ears. Leo looked towards them with a contrite wince. ¡°Apologies.¡±


    Their guide had drifted to a stop as it looked at Leo. ¡°Was¡­ was that a recording of one of my sessions at the club?¡±


    ¡°Yes, is bootleg. You are famous!¡± Leo grinned. ¡°I did not understand was you. Until now.¡±


    The Tik seemed to be stunned as it looked at Leo and the others without moving. Finally it began moving towards their destination once more though it remained facing Leo. It extended a tentacle towards the man and Leo took it in his hand once he saw Gee¡¯s gesture that he should.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°I am deeply touched that my creations are being shared amongst those who appreciate them. Thank you so much for sharing this. This is a unique experience for me. I will need to contemte its significance,¡± BassDrop said then retracted its tentacle and turned to face the tform they¡¯d arrived at. It emitted a quick burst of noise and got a burst in return.


    A bench rose from the deck of the tform across from the two old Tik. The group sat and took a closer look at the ones they came to speak with. Where the Tik they¡¯d seen on their arrival were bright and shiny chrome, the chassis on these two were dull and badly pitted. They also showed significant wear and tear in terms of dents, scratches, and deeper injuries.


    The newer Tik settled itself between them and the older Tik touched it with a tentacle. ¡°Neither of the elders has the means to speak directly but they can tap into my speech center and speak through me. They will do so now.¡±


    ¡°Hello, you may address me as One,¡± said a deep voice. The old Tik on the left raised a tentacle. ¡°You may address me as Two,¡± gestured the other, it¡¯s voice higher in pitch.


    ¡°Why do I feel an almost uncontroble urge to name them?¡± Nann whispered to the Major.


    ¡°The Tik developed a unique rtionship with Humans who seem to have an overwhelmingpulsion to name things,¡± the deep voice said, sounding amused. Nann blushed at being overheard. ¡°Our young have apulsion to obtain names from Humans. We think it might be something in the Instantiation matrix but as it¡¯s essentially harmless there is no need to look further into it. Two and I were Instantiated millennia before this rtionship developed, indeed longer than Humanity itself has been self-aware, so we feel no such need.¡±


    Two¡¯s voice returned. ¡°I do admit to being curious as to what names you might have chosen in this instance.¡±


    Nann looked at Gee who nodded with a smile.


    ¡°One, Socrates. Two, to. The names just popped into my head as we sat down to face you.¡±


    The deep voice chuckled. ¡°Interesting choice of names. Not really applicable to our true role-¡±


    ¡°I like it. I am to,¡± Two said immediately adopting the name.


    One made a noise which sounded strangely like a gasp of shock and annoyance. ¡°Fine. You are to. Our visitors may still address me as One-¡±


    ¡°Socrates,¡± to blurted, interrupting once more.


    The noise emitted once more. ¡°What if I don¡¯t wish to be addressed as Socrates?¡± the deep voice growled.


    ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± to asked.


    There was silence.


    ¡°Might we begin?¡± the Chuuruthian Security Minister asked.


    ¡°Of course¡­ you may address me as Socrates.¡±


    Nann grinned.


    ¡°Thank you. Socrates, to, you indicated that you have been alive for an exceptionally long time. During this lifetime did you ever have interaction with a race of beings called the Mahrell Drun? We understand they were forced out of the Gate Network and their Gate was destroyed,¡± Stenn asked.


    More silence.


    Finally Socrates spoke again. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard that name in a long time. Yes, we were working for the Kel-Fahr during the time of the banishment.¡±


    ¡°Banishment?¡± Gee asked.


    ¡°The Mahrell Drun were master maniptors. They destroyed so many lives and even caused some races to slide back into the dust from which they sprung. The Tik do not follow a belief system which supports personifying good and evil. However, the Mahrell Drun¡¯s willingness to trick others into destroying life for their own selfish gain and their insatiable greed makes it very difficult for us to not think of them as evil.¡±


    to took up the tale. ¡°When it was eventually discovered that they were the root cause of the destabilization of so many worlds the Kel-Fahr finally saw the threat and responded with all of their might. The Mahrell Drun had several worlds under their thrall which attempted to fight on behalf of their hidden masters but all perished. When the Kel-Fahr reached the Mahrell Drun¡¯s home they found it to be abandoned. Not one Prime was found. So they sterilized the world and destroyed its Gate.¡±


    Socrates¡¯ voice was rough as he continued. ¡°The Kel-Fahr hunted down the Primes. There was never more than five at any time as their ambition made them fight amongst themselves if their numbers increased. However, only three were found and they were destroyed down to the atomic level.¡±


    ¡°The other two were never found?¡± Gee asked.


    ¡°One should have been on their home. Primes always left one of their own on their home world. But the Kel-Fahr never found it.¡± to answered.


    ¡°No evidence of the other one was found either.¡±


    ¡°We suspect the Allsa Komanae are the descendants of the Mahrell Drun.¡± Gee said.


    ¡°That is highly doubtful,¡± to remarked.


    ¡°Why?¡± Gee asked.


    ¡°From the time of the banishment all Gates carry code that prevents Prime¡¯s from passing through them without being gically damaged to the point of sterility. The Kel-Fahr imposed this code on the Gates and they are the only species this was done to. Allsa Komanae pass through the Gates all the time. They have done so for centuries yet their poption remains steady.¡±


    ¡°Have there ever been any dramatic increases or decreases in their poption as one might expect with mass sicknesses caused by natural means or otherwise?¡± Stenn asked, clearly recalling their own near pandemic.


    ¡°No, looking at their numbers over time they progressed to their current poption and have remained within five percent of that total ever since. Exceptionally stable but then so is the Tik¡¯s poption.


    ¡°You are only tracking the Allsa Komanae who pass through Gates though. You don¡¯t know their poption on their home world,¡± Gee pushed.


    There was some hesitation. ¡°Yes¡­ that is correct,¡± Socrates conceded.


    ¡°Getting back to the Mahrell Drun, we have evidence that one exists and is in fact working with the Allsa Komanae. Would it be possible to get a digital transcript of the history of the Mahrell Drun and their subsequent banishment?¡± Major Ash requested.


    ¡°Of course. Did you meet this Prime? Do you have direct evidence of its existence?¡± to asked.


    It was the Major¡¯s turn to hesitate. ¡°No, we didn¡¯t and we don¡¯t. We just have a confession from one Allsa Komanae and a pattern of activity that seems far better organized than anything the Allsa Komanae have ever achieved before.¡±


    ¡°With the Mahrell Drun, that¡¯s more than you¡¯d typically get. We have done what we can. Good luck to you all,¡± Socrates indicated.


    ¡°Thank you very much for your assistance with this!¡± the Major said.


    The two senior Tik disconnected from BassDrop who moved to the Major. ¡°I can upload the file they gave to me.¡± She pointed herm at the Tik and it touched the input jack for a moment. When it pulled the tentacle back she saw the file was in her storage.


    ¡°I¡¯d like a copy of that as well if you don¡¯t mind,¡± Secretary of Defence Kressel indicated and BassDrop uploaded the file to hism as well. ¡°We should return to my office so we can contact these trusted officials of yours on Earth.¡±


    The group followed their Tik guide back out to the entrance to the building.


    Leo held BassDrop¡¯s ¡®hand¡¯ once more then they made their way back to the vehicles and set course for the Ministry of Defence¡¯s office.


    Once more they were given priority and the vehicles reached the high velocity they¡¯d had on the way to see the Tik. No one felt like talking as they were all deep in their own thoughts. Themandos understood that their next step would either get them the ess to Earth they desperately needed or show them they could never go home. Gee and Bal sensed their unease and had no words offort to offer.


    Soon they could see the beautiful low rise buildings of the Chuuruthian government¡¯s headquarters and their speed gradually slowed until they parked next to a two story building tucked back behind some lovely flowering trees. They exited the vehicles and followed Kressel into the building and down a long corridor to arge conference room. A younger female Chuuruthian rushed into the room.


    ¡°How may I be of assistance?¡± she asked Kressel.


    ¡°Fire up them system in here and get me a secure line to Earth,¡± he replied. She immediately moved to the console and began setting up the protocols. Therge disy at the end of the room flickered to life. Kressel turned to the Major. ¡°Who am I calling?¡±


    The Major shared a look with Nann. ¡°Brigadier General Rosseau. I served under him for five years. I trust him more than anyone else. He will be at the Ministry of Defence in Paris, France. I will give you his contact number.¡± She sent him the data from herm and Kressel forwarded it along to the tech.


    ¡°Once you are speaking to him and have his full attention, send him the data pack and tell him the following phrase, ¡®Major Ash says Shanghai Insider¡¯. He¡¯ll know what that means.¡± She looked around the room. ¡°In case hism is monitored where can we stand and not be in the camera¡¯s view?¡±


    Kressel pointed to the corners of the room next to the screen. The team moved to stand in the blind spots and Gee and Bal joined them.


    ¡°Are we clear?¡± Gee asked.


    Kressel looked at the young technician who checked the camera¡¯s view and nodded. He turned back to the Altarian¡¯s and the humans and they indicated they were ready. He took a seat next to Security Minister Stenn and nodded back to the tech. She set up the call then left the room. It was up to the Defence Secretary now. He initiated the call.

 66

    After a few moments a crisp male voice answered the call. The Chuuruthian¡¯s ID would have been presented to the person answering the call. ¡°Office of Brigadier General Rosseau. How may I direct your call?¡±


    ¡°I need to speak with the Brigadier General.¡± Kressel said, ears twitching to the cold tone in the voice. The screen was still only showing the emblem of Rosseau¡¯s office. No visual of the speaker. This was bordering on rude as the Chuuruthian¡¯s camera was on.


    ¡°Hold please.¡± The audio cut to a piece of ssical music. Momentster the screen flipped to a live feed of Rosseau sitting behind his desk smiling at the camera.


    ¡°Hello! This is Rosseau. How may I be of service to the Chuuruthian Secretary of Defence?¡±


    ¡°Greetings! With me is Minister of Security Stenn.¡± They nodded to each other. Kressel continued. ¡°Actually the reason for my call is to be of service to you. May I share with you a data pack a mutual acquaintance of ours asked me to give to you?¡± Kressel began.


    Rosseau¡¯s eyes narrowed but he nodded.


    Kressel pressed the submit button and the data pack was shipped to him. ¡°Major Ash-¡±


    There was a loud crashing sound and the General leapt from his camera¡¯s view. There was a stato blurt from automatic weapon fire, multiple ovepping sounds, and rounds tore through the General¡¯s desk and chair then the connection went dead.


    The Chuuruthian Defence Secretary looked stunned. ¡°What just happened?¡±


    Stenn leaned forward to check the connection as the others rushed back to stand next to them. ¡°It was shut down from the other end,¡± he supplied.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Nann asked.


    The Major looked worried. ¡°I- I don¡¯t know. My second contact is Colonel MacDenny in Canada. I was going to ask you to contact him next but not if-¡±


    The line chirped with an iing call. ¡°It¡¯s from Earth! From the Ministry of Defence in France!¡± Stenn eximed.


    Kressel nodded and Stenn opened the connection.


    The screen filled with the angry face of the Brigadier General. He immediately spotted the Major and his eyes locked on her. ¡°What the FUCK is going on?¡± he bellowed.


    ¡°Shanghai insider, sir,¡± she responded.


    ¡°That much became obvious when my secretary tried to kill me.¡± His camera panned to the grisly scene of his shot up office and the corpse of the office clerk who stupidly attempted to gun down a battle trained soldier. The General set the military grade mobilem on the remains of his desk and plunked himself down on his chewed up chair to lean back. ¡°What was on that data pack you sent me? You¡¯re going to need to send it again as my lovely antique desk and itsm are a write off,¡± he said. They could seemandos behind the General. Ash knew these men. Handpicked to be his security detail. Not normally a requirement in his office.


    Kressel sent the data pack to the new connection.


    ¡°We have an infiltration from agents of the Allsa Komanae who are now being led by one of their Primes, a Mahrell Drun. They specialize in disrupting civilizations and genocide through controlling governments from within. The data pack contains the data we personally gathered, historical text from the Altarian archives and direct confirmation from the Tik. I don¡¯t think there is a better source of proof aside from direct visual confirmation but the Tik informed us that¡¯s almost an impossibility where the Mahrell Drun are concerned. We can get additional proof but only from Earth and we¡¯ll need to be there in person to retrieve it. The report they are iming was Ray¡¯s is a fake.¡±


    Rosseau frowned. ¡°Getting you back to Earth is going to be tricky until we can clear your names. Every Gate is going to be watching for you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll find a way. We need to get that information! It¡¯s our best bet at exposing the leaders of the infiltration and clearing our names.¡± Ash eximed.


    The Brigadier General nodded. ¡°When I heard that ass Ruan Steyn file charges of treason against you and your team I knew something was off. I¡¯m terribly sorry to hear about Ray. He was a brilliant man. I¡¯ll make sure this information is distributed to people we can trust. Have you contacted MacDenny?¡±


    ¡°Not yet sir.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll contact him myself. The bastard owes me money from ourst poker night. Good luck!¡± He turned to look at the Chuuruthians. ¡°My sincerest thanks for assisting Major Ash and her team, Secretary of Defence Kressel! I won¡¯t forget this!¡± With a final nod between the General and Kressel the line went dead.


    Nann looked at her leader. ¡°What now?¡±


    The female tech entered the room once more. ¡°Sir, there are two Tik here wishing to speak with you and the group.¡±


    Kressel gestured for her to show them in.


    ¡°No naming them unless asked!¡± Ash growled at her group. There were a few guilty looks as the thought had crossed their minds.


    The tech showed two shiny, new Tik into the room. They hovered a few feet above the floor and the Major couldn¡¯t distinguish between them as they must have been newly Instantiated.


    ¡°Hello. The Tik you know as Socrates asked us to assist you in any way you require to expose the Mahrell Drun. The Tik have chosen to act as to not do so will lead to the loss of countless lives. We cannot condone this,¡± one of the Tik said in a calm and even tone.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°We have been informed that at the conclusion of this mission we may request that you give us names. For now you may refer to me as four-oh-four and my partner as one-oh-one, a simple shortening of our Instantiation ID¡¯s. Is this satisfactory?¡±


    The Major stared at the silver mechanical life forms in shock. Then she gave herself a shake. ¡°It is more than satisfactory! Thank you. I¡¯m not sure how-¡±


    ¡°If I may?¡± Gee said and the Major nodded.


    The Altarian turned to the Tik. ¡°It is my understanding that two Tik, if equipped with the required tech, may open an independent Gate. Are you two able to and willing to do this for us?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Where would you like to go?¡±


    Jack felt the most exquisite waves of pleasure radiating from his groin as he felt a soft mattress under his body. His skull, on the other hand, felt like a bag of broken ss. He couldn¡¯t move his head without making the grating, scratching, and jabbing pain worse.


    So he held very still.


    Normally that wouldn¡¯t be a difficult thing to do. He couldze in bed with the best of them. But add to the equation the delicious sensation of his cock being slowly driven deep into a hot, wet and very receptive body and being still is not such an easy thing to achieve.


    He tried to open his eyes but that hurt too. So he listened.


    The person riding his erection was trying desperately to be quiet but the asional whimper leaked out.


    It was Eve.


    Her curiosity had obviously gotten the better of her and she¡¯d decided to find out for herself ¡°how it worked¡±. From the sounds she was making she was enjoying her experiment and she sounded close.


    Jack slowly let his eyelids rx and they opened. When his eyes focused he saw Eve had her eyes closed and she was clutching her small breasts through her tunic as she slowly lifted her body up and down on his hard cock. It felt pretty amazing for Jack too but he wasn¡¯t there yet. Eve was beginning to tremble.


    Jack moved his hands to her hips and took a grip as he thrust his hips upward. His head hurt from his motions but he was relieved to feel the pain was diminishing.


    Eve¡¯s reaction to his sudden move was much more intense. She made a loud drawn out noise that fell somewhere between a deep bass honk and a bleat. Her trembling became outright tremors and her eyes rolled back. Jack hammered his hips upward and she bounced against his pelvis. Her noises settled down into a steady moan as Jack got closer and closer to his release. When her body began to convulse she fell forward over him. He caught her in his hands and slowly lowered her to his chest. His hips continued to drive his cock up into her and she gave up on being quiet. The honking noises just got louder and more drawn out. How such a deep note could being from such a small body was a mystery.


    Jack was worried Eve¡¯s noises would draw inpany so he took her head in his hands and kissed her.


    Eve¡¯s eyes shot open and she tried to pull her face away but her muscles were still trembling too much and she had no coordination. Jack stroked her lips with his and she slowly rxed. When he yfully nibbled at her lips with his she convulsed again and began to kiss him back.


    ¡°Oh¡­ oh¡­ oh¡­ what¡­ please¡­ more¡­¡± she murmured between kisses and her sweet little words were driving Jack to new heights of passion. He tasted her lower lip with a tongue stroke and Eve immediately wrapped her tongue around his and pulled it into her mouth to suck on it. She was making garbled honking noises and her tremors increased and her body mped down on his cock as he was buried in her to the base. He felt her inner muscles milking his cock, rippling and squeezing.


    This was it, her orgasm was taking her. She released his tongue and the sounds bellowing out of her made it clear she was truly enjoying her pleasure. It was too much for Jack and he erupted into her hot core.


    ¡°Oh! I feel it! It so hot! So much!¡± she gasped into his ear as her body pressed against his. They clung to each other as their orgasms rushed through their bodies. Their horns rasped and rubbed together, the strange sensation making them both cling tighter.


    Finally their breathing settled down and Jack rested his head back against the pillows. He gently pulled himself free of Eve¡¯s body and she rested on the mattress beside him. He wanted a shower but he was willing to wait.


    He wasn¡¯t really mad that Eve had done this but he was a little peeved that she hadn¡¯t asked. Truthfully, he wouldn¡¯t have refused her but being taken in your sleep is more than a little creepy.


    The door opened with no warning and First entered with two guards apanying it. Eve snapped up to her feet and kept her eyes on the floor. Jack dragged himself to his feet and stood next to Eve. He didn¡¯t drop his eyes.

 67

    First stood before Jack nked by the two guards. It was practically vibrating with excitement so maybe it forgot about itsmand for Jack to keep his eyes down.


    ¡°That was an excellent demonstration. The integration of your nervous system with the exquisitely crafted and advanced cor is remarkable! I¡¯ve never experienced suchplete immersion before!¡± First practically gushed.


    Jack¡¯s jaw dropped in horror. What he¡¯d shared just now with Eve had been for them alone. To discover the sick bastard had been tagging along for the ride and feeling what he was feeling was aplete vition.


    He turned his head to look at Eve but she wouldn¡¯t look at him. She turned her face away but he¡¯d caught the shame in her eyes. She was sorry she¡¯d done it. Something had changed for her.


    He shuddered but he knew he had to survive until his friends found him. He was going home. He tipped his head and looked at the floor.


    ¡°You understand now. Don¡¯t you,¡± the Allsa Komanae said slowly with a satisfied, smug tone.


    Jack wanted so badly to drive his fist into that damn cowl and smash whatever First hid inside it but¡­ not yet. He nodded.


    ¡°Excellent. It¡¯s time for you to meet your otherpanions. The Prime had very particr instructions on selecting her toys.¡±


    Jack just waited. With a satisfied noise First turned and left. The guards pointed to the door and Eve moved to follow First so Jack followed her with the two Allsa Komanae guards bringing up the rear.


    They entered arge elevator with the guards keeping an eye on Jack who noted that theypletely ignored Eve. She was a known quantity.


    They exited on the ground level and left the building. There was a vehicle parked outside and Eve immediately headed for the open section at the back. Jack followed and climbed on. He saw she was clinging to the bar mounted on the back of the vehicle so he took hold as well. The muscles in his hands contracted and gripped painfully tight.


    ¡°They don¡¯t use stabilizer fields back here?¡± Jack gritted out quietly to Eve between his teeth.


    ¡°This is cheaper.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Once the guards saw the ves were secured they walked back into the building and First got into the passenger section. The car lifted and they were off.


    Jack and Eve hunkered down next to each other to avoid the winds as they rushed across thendscape to destination unknown.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Jack looked at Eve in surprise. She was sorry for following an order from her master? That was major. He looked closer and saw she was crying.


    ¡°Hey! Please don¡¯t cry! What are these tears for?¡± Jack leaned against Eve just a little more to bring her tighter against his body. Without his hands free, it was the closest he could get to a hug.


    ¡°I¡¯m so confused! It- it¡¯s never felt like that before. You didn¡¯t know First was linked in. For you it was private so it was¡­ honest. I¡¯ve never¡­¡± Her eyes looked up into his and he saw her torment. ¡°What were you doing with your mouth?¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never been kissed before?¡± he asked in surprise.


    ¡°Kiss? That¡¯s what it¡¯s called?¡± Eve said in wonder watching his lips move then looked away in shame.


    ¡°Hey! Listen, I understand you were ordered to do it. I don¡¯t me you. Yes, I was really upset when I found out what actually happened. But as you said, for me it was an honest expression of emotion. That hasn¡¯t changed. I like you Eve. Even if we weren¡¯t in this awful situation I¡¯d like to get to know you better-¡±


    ¡°STOP! DON¡¯T YOU GET IT? WE. ARE. DISPOSABLE! WE CAN¡¯T GET CLOSE!¡± Eve yelled in his face then turned away from him, crying.


    Her outburst finally shone a light on Eve¡¯s behavior to date. She¡¯d been a ve for as long as she could remember. She¡¯d survived. She¡¯d done that while others had not. She¡¯d seen those she might have cared for killed¡­ for whatever senseless reasons the master¡¯s had. She was protecting herself.


    Fuck he felt awful. He really had no concept of how hard it had been for her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She shook her head but she didn¡¯t turn back to look at him.


    Jack gave her the space she needed.


    They rode in silence until they reached the outskirts of a city. As they made their way closer to the center of the core the buildings gotrger but there was a uniformity to their design. There was no thought to aesthetics. The city was ugly but functional. They reached a ratherrge building in the center of the city and once again the only thing that distinguished it was its size and the fact that it had a series of outlier buildings attached to it.


    Their vehicle was pulling up to one of these outlier buildings. When the car settled to the ground it was met by two Allsa Komanae security personnel. First exited the car and turned to face the two still locked in ce on the back tform. He touched something on the car and the muscles on their hands suddenly rxed.


    As he stepped from the deck Jack caught himself about to turn to help Eve but instead he ignored her. He couldn¡¯t let First see he cared and he had to let Eve recover.


    ¡°She was crying. Why?¡± First paused to ask Jack.


    ¡°Bitch tricked me. So I had a few words with her.¡± Jack growled. He found himself on the ground with just the memory of an astonishing amount of pain for a brief moment.


    ¡°You will refrain from any activity that disturbs the tranquility of the other ves. Am I understood?¡± First said in a sinister hiss.


    Jack could only nod as his jaw was still locked up. He pushed himself to his feet and leaned away from Eve who was moving to help. He nced at her and saw her look of confusion at his lie.


    ¡°Good.¡± First said in a pleased tone. ¡°Let¡¯s introduce you to the others.¡±


    It led the way again and they fell into step behind it followed by the two guards. The entrance was at the midpoint on one of the long sides of the rectangr building. The doors were wide and Jack saw the inside of the building waspletely open, one vast chamber. To the far left was what looked like bunk beds, obviously the sleeping area. There was some machinery straight ahead of them that may have been a gym of some kind. To the far right were the food processing machines and the bathroom facilities.


    Standing by the food processing area were the others they were to meet. When they saw the Allsa Komanae they stopped what they were doing and moved closer to stand in a line looking at the floor.


    Jack saw a human Caucasian man and woman, both fairly young and the woman was obviously pregnant. She looked like she was full term. The man had long ck hair and a beard, his body was tall and slim, maybe a little too slim. His body was long limbed but his joints stood out in stark relief.


    The woman had long brown hair and a round face. Her body, shorter than the man¡¯s, was just a little plump all over. Jack guessed the man was giving some of his rations to her.


    Next was a being whose species Jack didn¡¯t recognize. It was tall and broad with powerful looking limbs. Scaled skin with an olive green tint. Wide jaws filled with sharp looking teeth. Menacing.


    The next ve caused Jack¡¯s body to jolt in surprise. An Altarian! Tall, probably at the top end of their height range, and a beautiful chocte brown. He saw her nose twitching and he began to smell a spicy musk. His body, of course, responded and her eyes flicked up to nce at him in confusion then back to the floor. She was twitching as her body responded to his scent.


    Jack dragged his attention from the Altarian to the words First was saying. He¡¯d missed some already.


    ¡°¡­ skills they have or for some other whim. We do not question the Prime. Each was personally selected so they have been gathered here for her arrival. You two will sleep here, eat here, expel your waste here, and exercise here to maintain your health. You will be given tasks to do to maintain your mental acuity. Some may entail you moving from this building to another location and back. When you are assigned these tasks you will be given permission to move along a designated route. Stray from it and you will be punished. Outside of these tasks there will be no unauthorized departure from this building. Is this understood?¡±


    Jack and Eve nodded.


    First made a sound of satisfaction and left the building with the guards.


    The moment they were gone the others all looked up at Jack and Eve. The man and woman were staring at him with undisguised fear. The scaled one walked closer and stared down into Jack¡¯s face.


    ¡°You are shaped like these soft ones but are not like them. You smell like the furred one but have no fur. What are you?¡± it asked in a gravelly voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m both. A hybrid. I don¡¯t think I have ever met one of your species either.¡± Jack responded.


    ¡°We do not travel beyond our world. I must go back to my mate. Once I have killed those who took me from her,¡± it replied.


    Jack nodded. It was good to have a n. ¡°I¡¯m Jack.¡±


    ¡°You cannot pronounce my name so you may call me Kekk.¡±


    With that the brutish being walked away to get its meal. Jack hadn¡¯t seen any scars on its neck. Its discipline band was wider than his but had no designs on it. Just a wide in silver band with the V notch at the front.


    ¡°How- how can you be both human and like this one?¡± the tall man asked pointing to the Altarian who hadn¡¯t looked away from him since the Allsa Komanae left.


    Jack heard the ent and he thought he recognized it from TV show¡¯s he¡¯d watched back when he¡¯d been a worker on Earth. They were South African. He saw no scars around their necks. Their Prime cors were much smaller and iner than his. ¡°How long ago were you abducted?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°About five months ago.¡±


    ¡°My name is Jack Danner. I¡¯m Earth¡¯s Altarian Trade Commissioner and the Altarian Ambassador.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god! I¡¯ve heard of you!¡± the woman gasped. ¡°The Goat Man! Lucifer!¡±

 68

    Jack rolled his eyes. ¡°Oh please! I¡¯m not the devil! I¡¯m just a human who had a rather extreme reaction to an Altarian virus.¡± At their abrupt pulling back he sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not contagious. It affected me and me alone.¡±


    He looked at the man again. ¡°Listen, are you giving your food rations to your¡­ wife?¡± he asked spotting their wedding bands.


    The man scowled at him. ¡°What if I am?¡± he barked belligerently. ¡°I¡¯m not letting the machine scan her to know she¡¯s¡­ expecting.¡±


    ¡°Her cor will already have notified them of that fact. For her and the baby to get the nutrients they need and for you to remain strong for them you all need to get and eat your own rations,¡± Jack said gently. The man glowered at him and the woman looked shaken. She was touching her cor. The man gathered the woman under his arm and they walked back to the ration dispensers. Neither offered their names to him. There was time for thatter Jack supposed.


    Eve gazed sadly at him and followed the couple.


    The Altarian was looking at him with wide eyes. Her pink tongue swept across her upper lip and Jack felt his body react.


    ¡°How¡­ how¡­¡± she said, struggling to understand why she was reacting to him. Her eyes went to his horns and Jack saw her bite her lip, triggering a response from him.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°Ste.¡±


    Jack grinned involuntarily as he heard her name. It suited her. ¡°How long have you been here?¡±


    ¡°I- I think five years,¡± she breathed, her eyes still locked on his horns. He saw two scar rings on her neck and a in silver discipline cor with the Prime¡¯s symbol on it.


    Jack knew this could be awkward as hell if he were to let himself do what his body wanted so desperately to do. There was no privacy in this building and it was likely they were being watched by the Allsa Komanae.


    ¡°I¡¯m the consort to the Altarian Queen and the father of her two children. Do you know what that means?¡± Jack said quietly.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Ste froze and stared at him. After a moment she found her voice though it was extremely quiet.


    ¡°She¡¯sing for you.¡±


    ¡°Us.¡±


    Ste¡¯s face lit up with a smile that took Jack¡¯s breath away and he took an involuntary step towards her before he stepped back hastily. Her spicy heat was beginning to erode his control and he was tenting his tunic badly. As her excitement was in to see by the six bumps showing down the front of her own tunic. She nced down at him.


    ¡°Could we¡­?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°God I want to but I think we¡¯d better try to hold off for as long as we can. The name of the game now is waiting for our rescue and surviving until that happens is paramount. I¡¯m not sure if giving the Allsa Komanae extra pleasure is such a good idea. We should avoid their attention whenever possible.¡± He sighed in frustration. ¡°You¡¯ve had two previous masters?¡±


    ¡°Yes- the first master I had was cruel. It was the one who ambushed the expedition I was a member of. We were investigating a site on a which once had a prosperous civilization. We wanted to record their history. Arge group of Allsa Komanae led by the one who took me as a ve attacked our encampment at night and ughtered the others. They left an explosive device to make the site look like we¡¯d uncovered a weapon and it destroyed us. I was packed up with the artifact¡¯s we¡¯d managed to find and shipped here. The cruel one spent a year torturing me at random intervals. Then First took me from it. Apparently the Prime wants me so she took me from First.¡±


    She was looking at his horns again and he knew what the next question on her lips would be. ¡°Yes, you can touch them.¡± He was going to warn her about the tips but they were capped now.


    Her fingers were on them almost immediately. She reverently touched them and ran her fingers over their ridged surface. Jack was enveloped in her spicy musk and pulled back from her with a tremendous effort of will.


    ¡°We¡­ we should eat¡­ now.¡± Jack said and gently pulled Ste¡¯s hands from his horns. Her eyes had an almost desperate look in them. It cracked Jack¡¯s resolve. ¡°Let¡¯s at least wait until the others are asleep.¡± Joy and anticipation shone from her eyes then.


    They made their way over to the ration dispensers and Jack once more suffered through the nauseating body scan process before it dropped two tubes of nutrient paste into the collection slot.


    Kekk was staring at him and Ste with a scowl. ¡°What?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°The pheromones you two are emitting is almost overpowering. Go mate and spare me the ordeal of having to smell it.¡±


    Jack blushed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. It¡¯s not something we really have control over. It might be a better idea for us to wait until night. I am assuming that there will be less Allsa Komanae monitoring us at that time. No need to give too many of them a free show.¡±


    Kekk looked at him in confusion. ¡°What do you mean ¡®free show¡¯?¡±


    ¡°The Allsa Komanae can link into your cor¡¯s biometric feed so they can feel what you are feeling. They get to share the experience. Creepy bastards!¡± Jack growled and his head lit up with lightning.


    He came to in the arms of Ste. Her eyes were filled with concern.


    ¡°Ow.¡±


    Kekk was looking angry but he gave Jack a small smile. ¡°You forget they are listening?¡±


    Jack wanted to sit up but being wrapped in Ste¡¯s arms while resting back against her soft body was absolute bliss. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware they listen to every word.¡±


    ¡°Random intervals.¡± Eve offered quietly and got punished for it. The pain didn¡¯t take her consciousness as it had for Jack but she was hurt. Jack surged up but a nce from her pain filled eyes stopped him. Ste pulled him back against her.


    Kekk wouldn¡¯t be deterred. ¡°How do we know when they are linked in?¡±


    ¡°Temporary Headache.¡± Eve said through gritted teeth but she wasn¡¯t punished for that. Jack was staring at her with amazement as she was breaking her conditioning which had to be intensely difficult for her.


    Jack suddenly recalled the sensation of ss in his brain when he¡¯d had sex with Eve. ¡°ss.¡± His face showed his shock.


    ¡°What?¡± Kekk asked.


    ¡°When First connected into my cor it felt like broken ss in my mind but it went away. I didn¡¯t know what it was at the time,¡± he said absentmindedly stroking Ste¡¯s arm who was almost purring.


    Kekk snorted to clear his sinuses and walked away to distance himself from the cloud of pheromones. ¡°Do it and spare us.¡± He sat at one of the exercise benches and ate his rations. Jack saw his ration tubes on the floor where he¡¯d dropped them when he fell and picked them up.


    ¡°How can you im to not be the devil when you lie with the beast?¡± the woman spat at him from the protective arms of her husband.


    Jack sighed. ¡°Great. Religious fundamentalists,¡± he thought to himself.


    ¡°First off, Altarians are not beasts. They are Altarians. Beautiful, culturally advanced, and peace loving beings. We human¡¯s should aspire to be more like them. Yes, I still consider myself human. I was born and raised on Earth by loving human parents and my gic alteration is only a recent event. If it made me a little more like an Altarian I can only call that an improvement.¡±


    ¡°The Good Book says-¡± she began, her voice beginning to rise to the shrill levels of a zealot.


    ¡°DON¡¯T! I know exactly what the book says. I¡¯ve read it. It¡¯s a lovely book and there is a beautiful message of love in it which you¡¯ve obviously missed the point of. If all you have is judgemental words in your vocabry please keep them to yourself. Otherwise, I would wee a conversation with you both. We could start with your names.¡±


    The couple was scowling at him, red faced. He hoped they came around before it was toote.


    ¡°You need to find it in your hearts to ept the real danger we are facing isn¡¯t currently present in the room and we need to work together to survive,¡± he said with a sigh and got himself to his feet. The couple moved away without looking at him.


    Jack pulled Ste up to her hooves and looked at Eve who was watching him with ssy eyes.


    ¡°I can¡¯t pretend to not care about you. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jack said softly.


    She nodded and moved to the exercise equipment as well.


    Jack looked back at Ste and she smiled hopefully at him. ¡°I think it still makes sense to wait forter. We should do our best to distract ourselves until then.¡± A wave of the spicy scent wafted over him and he swayed. ¡°We should remain at opposite ends of the building until then.¡±


    Ste bit her lip and nodded wide eyed as she felt his need for her spike. She turned and rushed away to the sleeping area.


    Jack turned and went into the bathing area. He pulled his tunic off and hung it on a hook before stepping under a cold shower. After drying himself off he went back to the food area and ate his rations.


    Fidgeting he realized he needed to run. Maybe there was a treadmill in the exercise equipment. He walked over and saw Kekk pushing against the arms of a resistance trainer. He looked to Eve and saw she was pushing against a smaller machine.


    ¡°Is there a machine I can run on?¡± he asked Eve. She stood and tugged on a bar on the wall. A panel folded down. She gestured for him to stand on it. When he did the wall panel in front of him lit up with a disy of stats like distance and speed. He nodded and she pressed a spot on the screen. The surface under his feet began to move and he had to walk to stay in ce. As he picked up his pace the deck sped up as well.


    Jack smiled at Eve as he felt his muscles begin to warm up and stretch. She timidly smiled back at him then moved away to her own workout. He saw another spot that seemed to indicate wind so he pressed it and was rewarded with a gentle breeze against his face.


    Jack closed his eyes and opened up his stride. Soon he was running at his full ground eating pace. The deck beneath his feet had enough give to absorb the impact but was stiff enough to push back when his feet kicked off. It wasn¡¯t as good as running outdoors but he supposed it would have to suffice for now. He ran until he felt his mind slipping into the euphoric state where the machine of his body worked as efficiently as it could and his mind took a back seat to the pure physical sensations.

 69

    A few minutes into this he felt it. ss shards in his mind. The sensation was jarring and disorienting, causing his legs to lose their sync for just a second. It was enough. His left foot struck his right and his legs went out from under him. The deck couldn¡¯tpensate for this so when his body struck the fast moving surface he was flung outwards across the room to slide then tumble across the hard surface until he hit the doors head first and burst through them.


    His discipline cor detected the unauthorized exit and proceeded to punish him.


    Thankfully he was already out.


    Once more Jack woke feeling blissfully soft fur against his cheek. The pleasant warm scent identified his pillow as Altarian. For just a second he let his mind believe he was back in his apartment on Altaria.


    ¡°Is he awake?¡± Eve¡¯s voice.


    He cracked his eyes open to see her concerned face.


    ¡°Hey beautiful¡­¡± he murmured.


    A series of emotions shed over Eve¡¯s face. Anger, relief, joy, anguish, fear and finally hope which was the most powerful of all.


    ¡°How long was I out?¡± Jack asked, his voice cracking.


    ¡°A little over two hours.¡± Ste informed him as he coughed.


    Eve rushed away and hurried back with a water bottle. She held it to his lips and he took some long swallows. She pulled it back when he grunted he was finished.


    Jack tried to get up but dull pain throbbed over his body.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t get up. You¡¯re pretty bruised. Nothing broken ording to the medical scans,¡± Eve said.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Jack¡¯sst memories were a little jumbled and whatever pain killer they¡¯d given him was making it difficult to think.


    Kekk moved closer to hear the answer as well. ¡°It is good to see you survived. You were running so well then you were across the room smashing the doors down with your head.¡±


    ¡°Inded on my head? That¡¯s a relief! I¡¯ve been told male Altarians are exceptionally hard headed,¡± Jack smiled.


    Ste giggled and wrapped her arms around him to give him a gentle hug.


    Eve moved a little closer and spoke quietly. ¡°First called for me when the medics took you to the infirmary. It wanted to know what happened. It thought maybe Kekk threw you across the room. I described what we saw and it called in the Allsa Komanae who¡¯d been monitoring us. There were three and one was acting very strangely. It kept mumbling excitedly to itself. One of the others informed First that the mumbling one had linked itself to you while you were running. First screamed in anger at the odd one for the unauthorized link but it just ignored him. I- I don¡¯t think its mind was working anymore. It ran from the room making an odd sputtering noise and the other two chased after it. First sent me to the infirmary to bring you back when the medics were done.¡±


    Jack was trying to put his memories in order and struggled against the fog of the painkillers. He might have a memory of the broken ss sensation.


    Kekk looked at Jack with interest. ¡°What experience did you share with it that could have unhinged its mind?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. I was just running. Running feels really good. I get in a zone of pure physical effort. How that would affect them this way is aplete mystery to me,¡± Jack said shifting position on the bed. He groaned in pain. ¡°I think the pain killers are wearing off.¡±


    Kekk stood and moved away to get his evening rations.


    ¡°I will bring you your rations then you should rest. Just rest,¡± she stressed as she looked at Ste who blinked her big eyes at Eve.


    After Eve left Jack looked up at Ste. ¡°She¡¯s right, I¡¯m in no shape to properly show my full appreciation of your beauty and grace.¡± She pouted and Jack smiled. ¡°Come down here.¡±


    She carefully slid herself out from under him and moved down the bed to bring her face next to his. Jack gently took her face between his hands and brought her soft lips to his for a tender kiss. Her long and flexible tongue made a surprise visit inside his mouth so he sucked on it.


    ¡°Mmmmm¡­¡± she moaned and pressed her body against his. Sharp pains reminded Jack why this was a bad idea and he gently pushed her face back from his.


    ¡°Sorry, we¡¯ll have to try again when I¡¯ve healed a little more,¡± he moaned.


    ¡°What part of ¡®just rest¡¯ did you not understand?¡± Eve growled as she stood next to the bed with an assortment of nutrient tubes clenched in her hands.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Jack sighed.


    Ste slipped from the bed and moved to the next one over where she could keep an eye on him.


    ¡°Red,¡± Eve said holding out the tube to Jack. He grimaced but ate the contents.


    ¡°Green.¡± Jack ate that one too. It was awful as usual.


    ¡°White. This one is medicine. It reduces inmmation and bruising, promotes tissue regeneration, and it contains a strong pain killer and tranquilizer to help you sleep and heal,¡± Eve said, holding out thest tube. Jack looked at it with suspicion but she was insistent. He squeezed the paste out and his eyes opened wide in surprise. It was delicious! Like¡­ barbeque chicken!


    ¡°That was the best tasting thing I have eaten since I got here!¡± he gushed. Then he felt pressure from his dder. ¡°Uh¡­ I have to use the washroom. To pee.¡±


    Ste was immediately on her feet and next to his bed.


    ¡°Not you! He needs to pee not get sexually excited.¡± Eve growled and Ste pouted. Eve saw someone strong enough to do the task easily walking back from the ration dispensers. ¡°Kekk, could you assist Jack to the washroom and back?¡±


    Therge being looked at Eve then gently lifted Jack from the bed much to Jack¡¯s embarrassment.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I can walk.¡± Jack blustered but Kekk ignored him as Eve kept pace to the facilities.


    Kekk put Jack on his feet by a trough he could pee in but Jack¡¯s legs wouldn¡¯t support him. He was beginning to feel woozy.


    ¡°Uh¡­ my legs are too wobbly to work but I really have to go,¡± he said clinging to Kekk¡¯s arms as the scaled being stood behind him holding him up against his chest.


    Eve stepped up beside them, lifted Jack¡¯s tunic and held his cock, aiming it at the trough.


    Though her hand felt really good the pressure in his dder was building so he released it and Eve made sure it hit the trough. The relief was intense and Jack just had time to wonder what the hell else had been in that white tube before he slipped into sleepynd.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Hourster Jack slowly began surfacing as the drugs left his system and sensation began returning to his body. He felt something soft pressed against his right side¡­ and his left.


    Sounds came next. Gentle breathing, blowing warm air across his chest from both sides. He opened his eyes and saw Ste tucked up against his right side and Eve up against his left. They both looked so peaceful and beautiful it brought a smile to his lips. His body began returning to him and he was please to feel the absence of the sore and stiff muscles. A dull ache had reced the sharp pain he¡¯d experienced before. Whatever was in that white tube was really fast acting! He wasn¡¯t sure if there was a price for that expediency.


    He looked around the dim chamber and saw Kekk was sleeping on a workout bench far across the room. In the other direction he could see the human members of their group had hung nkets to act as curtains to give them privacy. And separate them from the beasts he supposed.


    Looking down he saw his tunic was partially pulled up and Ste¡¯s right hand was up under the hem. Sensation in his body hadn¡¯t reached there yet but he was pretty sure what her hand was holding. Eve¡¯s left hand was resting on his lower abdomen just above what he could now feel Ste¡¯s hand resting on. It began to wake now that he felt the soft pressure of the hand on it.


    Jack tried to think of a way to extract himself from between the two females without waking them but he was well and truly trapped between their soft and sensual bodies. Damn! He shouldn¡¯t have thought of it like that. His cock surged to life and fingers gently closed around it.


    ¡°Mmmmm¡­ so hard. So¡­ big!¡± Ste eximed as she woke with his growing cock in her hand.


    Jack knew for a human he wasn¡¯t particrlyrge but on the Altarian scale he was. It was still ttering and he enjoyed her pleased surprise.


    ¡°Jack! Oh Jack, I need this!¡± she whimpered softly.


    A second hand was touching him through his tunic and he looked at Eve. She looked conflicted and angry. She peered over Jack¡¯s chest at Ste and was about to bark something at her so Jack reached up behind her head and gripped her thicker fur there. She gasped as he brought her mouth over his and kissed her deeply. She struggled for just a moment then she was kissing him back. Her clever tongue wrapped around his and stroked it sensually. She was moaning as they kissed. Jack felt Ste climbing over his body and she suddenly rubbed her hot, wet opening along his shaft. She was ready and he was at maximum rigidity. She raised his cock up and lifted herself up to position the thick head against her tight pussy. She rxed her muscles and the head forced its way inside.


    Ste gasped and held still, trying to deal with the thick intruder she¡¯d allowed inside. Her legs began to shake as it felt so good yet so frighteninglyrge. With the loss of muscle tone her legs buckled and gravity pulled her down, impaling her on his cock. Her mouth dropped open in a silent scream as she tried to adjust to his hot flesh so deep inside her and forcing her open so wide.


    Eve needed Jack inside her. She wanted him so badly! She loved kissing more than almost anything else but it just lit the fire between her legs. She needed release!

 70

    She pulled back from the kiss and looked down Jack¡¯s body to see Ste already riding him.


    ¡°Eve. Eve!¡±


    She looked back at Jack in desperation.


    ¡°Do you trust me?¡±


    The question threw her for a second. ¡°What? Yes!¡±


    ¡°Swing your leg over my face.¡± Jack said with a gentle smile. She blinked at him but her body was already following his instruction. She found herself staring down at his smiling eyes between her thighs.


    Then she was in utopia! He was kissing her there and it was wonderful! What he could do with his mouth took her breath away. Then she realized she¡¯d forgotten to breathe. She gasped in a breath and it felt even better!


    Jack stroked his tongue across her sensitive flesh and felt Eve jolt and tremble. He kissed and sucked and nibbled, feeling Eve love every second. He also began to drive his hips upwards against Ste and felt her mp down on his cock. He slid his hand up inside Ste¡¯s tunic and took one of her upper nipples between his finger and thumb, gently squeezing and tugging on it.


    Ste began to croon. Loudly.


    Eve lifted herself off of Jack¡¯s mouth and turned to ce her hand over Ste¡¯s mouth. Silence returned to the sleeping area except for the quite moansing through Eve¡¯s fingers and the quiet wet p of Jack¡¯s pelvis against Ste¡¯s.


    Jack lifted Eve¡¯s leg back over his face and began again, this time with her facing Ste. Eve threw her head back with a gasp. Ste was watching the bliss on Eve¡¯s face and found it to be highly erotic.


    Jack felt the ss shards bursting into his mind once more. He moaned into Eve¡¯s wetness and she jolted with the vibrations. He wasn¡¯t going to disappoint these twodies just because of the creeps peeping in on his fun. He pushed the pain into the background and used it to sharpen his focus to double his efforts for Eve and Ste. He reached up under Eve¡¯s tunic to squeeze her modest tits and caress her nipples. He growled deep in his chest as he attacked her soft flesh with his tongue and the vibrations intensified her pleasure. She reached forward and grabbed Ste¡¯s topmost tits and squeezed them as Jack was doing to hers.


    Ste felt her mind leaving her body. She was filled almost beyond endurance with Jack¡¯s hot cock and he was bouncing her roughly on his hips. Then Eve was ying with her tits. She leaned forward and kissed Eve, sliding her long tongue into her mouth and wrestling with the other female¡¯s equally flexible tongue.


    Jack couldn¡¯t see what was happening from between Eve¡¯s thighs but he certainly felt both women suddenly bear down on him, their movements bing urgent, signalling their imminent orgasms.


    Jack moved his hands to Ste¡¯s hips and he roughly pulled her down against his body while he rapidly flicked his tongue against a ridge of stiff flesh near the top of Eve¡¯s opening. This was enough to push both women beyond their endurance. He was close behind.


    Eve gushed her juices over Jack¡¯s face and hepped them up as quickly as he could. This just pushed Eve¡¯s orgasm into overdrive and she pulled back from Ste¡¯s mouth to gasp in a shuddering breath.


    Her mouth free once more Ste¡¯s crooning began again as her pleasure spiked. She felt Jack filling her with his hot cum and her mind spun with her joy. Spent, her muscles lost the ability to hold her up and she leaned forward against Eve who leaned against her in return.


    Jack¡¯s pleasure went on and on as Ste¡¯s tight channel rippled and massaged his cock, squeezing all of the cum from it as his mind threatened to white out from the intensity. He let the waves wash over him and he floated on the bliss.


    ¡°BE QUIET! I will listen no longer to the horrid noises of your lewd debauchery or the foul cries of the filthy beasts you fornicate with!¡±


    Eve leapt off the bed to escape the approaching man but Ste was still too overwhelmed by her release to see the danger. The angry male shoved Ste hard and she went over the opposite side of the bed to hit the floor beyond.


    Jack¡¯s mind snapped out of his pleasure to see the man¡¯s angry sneer looking down at him as his fist rushed in to hit him. Jack instinctively tilted his head to protect his face and took the blow on his forehead instead of his cheek. It still hurt like hell but he heard the snap of bones in his assant¡¯s hand.


    Screaming in pain the man reeled back. Jack opened his eyes and looked up just in time to hear a dull thump. The man dropped to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut.


    ¡°NO!¡± Jack yelled and leapt from the bed to rush to the man¡¯s side but it was toote. His cor¡¯s explosives had been triggered and he was quite dead. It seemed impossible and it made no sense but he was gone. Jack didn¡¯t even know his name.


    Kekk was immediately by their side. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°They killed him! He hit me and they triggered his cor!¡± Jack said incredulously.


    ¡°NNNOOOO!!!!!!! DREW! DREWWW!!!¡±


    Jack saw the pregnant woman rush to the side of her husband. She pushed Jack away and dropped to her knees to scream and wail over her husband¡¯s lifeless body. Her cries took on a more painful tone as her water broke.


    ¡°She is leaking!¡± Kekk yelled.


    Jack looked around at Eve who was gently lifting Ste to her hooves. Ste was nursing her elbow tenderly. ¡°Eve! Call for the medics. She¡¯s having her baby!¡±


    Kekk looked at Jack in surprise. ¡°She is birthing a baby?


    ¡°No! I can¡¯t have the baby without Drew!¡± the woman wailed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that decision is up to you any longer. Your baby is arriving now. What¡¯s your name?¡± Jack asked.


    The gasping woman looked at him in confusion.


    ¡°Your name.¡± Jack pushed.


    ¡°Beth- AAAAAGGGHHH!¡±


    ¡°OK Beth. Your body is going to try to push the little guy out and you¡¯re going to have to help-¡±


    ¡°NNNAAAAGGHHHH!!!¡± Beth screamed and Jack ced his hands over her abdomen to try to get a sense of the baby¡¯s orientation. He had no experience with this but it didn¡¯t feel right. He looked desperately for Eve who was running back from the front door where them panel was located.


    ¡°There was no response from the monitoring station!¡± she called out. She knelt next to Jack. ¡°Have you birthed a child before Jack?¡±


    ¡°No. I have some basic knowledge from a medic training course I took years ago. I- I think something is wrong,¡± he said quietly into her ear and she pulled back to look at him in dread.


    ¡°Your hands are much smaller than mine. I need you to reach inside and confirm if the baby is head down. If you feel feet the baby will need to be turned. Head down and face up.¡±


    Eve stared at him with wide terrified eyes.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You can do this-¡±


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t let that beast touch me!¡± Beth cried weakly.


    Jack was worried about her gging strength. ¡°Beth! Far better thepassionate touch of Eve than the cold mechanical touch of our captors! This is for your child!¡± He had an idea. ¡°What names have you chosen?¡±


    He urged Eve to begin while he held Beth¡¯s eyes with his.


    ¡°M-Mary if it¡¯s a girl. Joseph¡­ if a boy¡­ rrrRRAAAUUUGGGHH!¡± Beth¡¯s scream was pain and fear.


    Eve hesitated but Jack took a grip on her arm and gently pushed her hand inside. He kept pushing until her eyes widened in shock. ¡°A foot! A tiny foot!¡±


    ¡°The baby is breach. You need to turn it.¡± He nced at Beth¡¯s tired face. ¡°Quickly!¡±


    Eve pushed her hand further in and Jack saw Beth¡¯s abdomen distend as the baby slipped end to end. She pulled her hand from Beth and looked at it in surprise!


    ¡°Excellent work! Beth! You have to push with the next contraction! Push with all your might!¡± Jack urged.


    Beth nodded. When it struck she pushed with every ounce of strength she had left.


    ¡°That¡¯s it Beth! I see the head! Keep pushing!¡± Jack cheered as Eve helped guide the emerging baby out.


    ¡°One more push Beth! You can do it!¡± Jack said.


    Beth looked into Jack¡¯s eyes and smiled tremulously. ¡°You- you are human.¡±


    Jack looked back in surprise and nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯ll take care of my baby¡­ won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Beth, you¡¯ll take care of your baby. Come on, one more good push.¡± Jack said nervously.


    Eve looked up at him in panic. She had her hands down by the emerging baby and they had blood on them. A lot of blood.


    ¡°NNNNNGGGGHHHH!¡± Beth groaned as she pushed. Eve pulled and the baby came free with a gush of blood.


    ¡°promise me¡­¡±


    Jack looked down at the woman in despair but nodded.


    She closed her eyes with the smallest of smiles and slipped free of her captivity to join her husband.


    As Jack watched Beth leave them a huge storm of rage built in his mind. He wanted the Allsa Komanae to die for thistest tragedy. All of them.


    ¡°Where the FUCK are they!¡± Jack growled.


    ¡°The baby isn¡¯t breathing!¡± Eve interrupted.


    Jack gripped the baby by its feet and poked his pinky finger into his mouth to clear anything that might be there. Then he lifted the child upside down and swatted its small behind. It jolted and began to wail. He saw the shock and outrage on Eve¡¯s face so he gently handed the baby back to her. The sound of the baby¡¯s cries took Jack¡¯s mind to Altaria where his own child might be born without him to be there for it. His rage built again.


    ¡°Jack, is there a danger for them to still be attached?¡± Kekk asked.


    ¡°What? Uh, I think so. We need to cut the umbilical cord and some string to tie it off!¡± Jack saiding back to the moment. He pulled his tunic off and ripped the bottom hem off until he had a long piece of string. He looked around. ¡°Do we have anything sharp?¡±


    Kekk looked at the caps on Jack¡¯s horns then opened his mouth. Lots of sharp teeth in there. He closed his mouth and looked at Jack who nodded grimly and held up the link between the baby and its dead mother pinching the cord tight to seal it.


    ¡°Cut it here. That gives us enough to tie off.¡±

 71

    Kekk leaned forward and with a quick snap of his jaws he bit through the cord. He immediately spat out the section in his mouth, his expression of disgust evident. ¡°Ugh! That is vile! I must rinse my mouth out!¡± He quickly stood and rushed to the water dispenser.


    Jack got Ste to tie the string around the cord fairly close to the baby while Eve held the calmed baby. He handed Ste the rest of his tunic to wrap the baby in.


    Jack rested back on his hands and looked around. Two dead humans and one newborn baby. And the day had just begun. He looked at Eve who was staring at the baby in her arms like she¡¯d just witnessed a miracle. Hell, she¡¯d participated in the miracle!


    Ste had tears in her eyes. When he raised an eyebrow at her she began to cry.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! This is all my fault! If I¡¯d controlled myself this morning-¡± she cried softly.


    Jack¡¯s temper red. ¡°What are you talking about? None of this is your fault. All of this is on our captors. Everything about this began with their kidnapping us. Confining us in this big open room with no privacy. That¡¯s on them! They didn¡¯t need to kill Drew! He wasn¡¯t a threat! They should have been here to save Beth!¡± He looked at the sleeping baby boy in Eve¡¯s arms. ¡°It was pure luck that we were able to save Joseph!¡±


    ¡°No, it was not luck. It was you. You knew what to do.¡± Eve said quietly, holding his eyes with hers. He was surprised to see how much admiration was in them. He looked down and shook his head. He was coated in blood and Beth¡¯s water. And he was naked.


    He looked towards the doors and still no one hade to help them. He sighed and stood up. He helped Ste to her hooves as she wiped the tears from her eyes. They both helped Eve up. Kekk returned to the group and looked at the two dead bodies.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get cleaned up. I have no idea what¡¯s happening in the monitoring station to keep them from responding but the day is beginning. We¡¯re going to getpany sometime soon.¡± Jack suggested.


    They made their way to the bathing area and Eve asked how to bathe the baby.


    ¡°I- I think it¡¯s too soon to bathe him. The umbilical needs to dry up, fall off and that area needs to heal. I know he looks like a mess but I think he¡¯s safer that way. I¡¯m more worried about feeding him. He should have been breast fed to get his mother¡¯s immunities.¡± He stroked the baby¡¯s head gently. So fragile and helpless. He looked around at the group entrusted to protect the newborn.


    Eve, a petite horned and fanged but gentle female of unknown species who lived her entire life as a ve. Ste, a lovely chocte brown Altarian female, kidnapped and tortured but a survivor. Kekk, a powerful green scaled male of unknown species. Vowing vengeance against his captors.


    And himself. Oddest of the group. Half Human and half Altarian. The man Joseph¡¯s parents called the Goat Man.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    The kid had too many challenges ahead of him. It was too hard to think about. Seeing Eve had the child in her care Jack turned and entered the showers.


    He allowed himself to soak under the hot water then he scrubbed himself clean. He had a tender bruise on his forehead he had to be careful with. He dried off and brought a towel out to wrap Joseph in. He took back his tunic and carried it to the recycler. He shoved the torn garment into the chute and a momentter a recement dropped into the dispenser. He pulled it on and sat on an exercise bench facing the doors. Ste walked over to him carrying Joseph in her arms. She handed the infant to him and moved to recycle her own tunic.


    Kekk walked out to join Jack. He was already wearing a new garment. He looked at the small being in Jack¡¯s arms. ¡°Human young are so helpless. I don¡¯t understand how they survive long enough to protect themselves.¡±


    ¡°Parents.¡±


    Kekk looked to the other end of the room where the bodies remained under the sheet he¡¯d pulled over them. He nodded to Jack then moved to sit on another bench facing the door. Ste returned with a fresh tunic and sat next to Jack.


    They must have sat there for close to forty minutes when the front doors opened and First came barging in with six security guards. The prisoners all stood.


    ¡°Where are the humans?¡± First barked at them.


    ¡°Dead.¡± Jack said.


    ¡°You killed them?¡± it hissed.


    ¡°No. You did,¡± Jack replied coldly.


    ¡°What? I did no such thing!¡± First blurted angrily.


    ¡°We¡¯re under your authority for the Prime. Yes? Someone triggered Drew¡¯s cor. He punched me and someone under yourmand killed him for it. He just bruised me but he broke his hand doing it. He wasn¡¯t a threat or danger to anyone. He didn¡¯t deserve to die,¡± Jack said, struggling to remain calm.


    Silence from First. ¡°Where is the female?¡± Its voice was grating andcked its normal smooth tone. Probably not a good sign but Jack was too angry to care.


    ¡°The shock of losing her husband so suddenly caused her to go intobor but there were¡­ difficulties with the birth. We tried to call for help but the monitoring staff, the same ones who killed Drew, failed to respond and Beth bled to death after we managed to save their child.


    First turned to two of his security detail and sent them away at a run. It turned back to Jack. ¡°Is¡­ is that the child?¡± it said coldly.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It needs to be taken to the Infirmary for a health check.¡± First said.


    ¡°I assume the Prime wanted Drew, Beth and the child for her own purposes. The parents have been taken from her as well as their son. Do you know how to care for a human infant better than someone who was once a human child himself and had excellent human parents?¡± Jack knew he was really pushing his luck with First but he owed it to Beth to make the attempt to protect Joseph.


    First was silent and Jack wished he could see the face inside that hood.


    ¡°Once the infant has been checked it will be returned to you. As you said, the Prime wants it.¡± It pointed to Eve.


    Jack handed Joseph to Eve who looked at him with big eyes. He smiled at her and she walked out the doors at a gesture from First who turned back to Jack.


    ¡°I will investigate the events and if I find anything to indicate you¡¯re guilt in the deaths of the Prime¡¯s humans you will wish you had joined them. This is for your insolence.¡±


    Jack felt a slow burning sensation begin like his limbs were being consumed by fire. It moved to his torso and slowly made its way to his head. He tried not to scream but the agony was unbearable. His eyes rolled back and he passed out. Kekk caught his falling body as Jack¡¯s mind retreated from the mes into the haven of oblivion.


    From her hidden position in the alley across and down the street from their target Gee peeked around the corner at the brownstone apartment. They were on a tree lined street in New York City. The Tik hade through and made them a Gate which took them to Earth but they¡¯d warned that it would be detected so they¡¯d have to move fast. There were a lot of police in the huge city to respond to an illegal entry when it was detected. Once through the Tik moved to their extraction point with the coordinates of a safe ce to hide. When they came running the exit had to be there.


    Ray Sharif¡¯s parent¡¯s home was just down the street. The Major said the first data cache was in Ray¡¯s basement apartment in his parent¡¯s ce. They¡¯d emerged from the Gate four blocks from the neighborhood and hustled through the back alleys and quieter streets to get to this location. They couldn¡¯t wait much longer as the authorities would be zeroing in on them.


    ¡°They¡¯ve got a team watching the house. Do you see the truckrge enough to contain a squad ofmandos?¡± the Major said behind Gee.


    ¡°The Electrician¡¯s truck?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the one.¡±


    ¡°We just need to prevent them from exiting the vehicle, yes?¡± Gee asked.


    ¡°Uh yes that would be lovely but how the hell are we going to do that?¡± the Major growled.


    ¡°Leave that to Bal and I. How do we get inside the apartment?¡± Gee asked.


    ¡°Ray¡¯s parents will let us in¡­ I hope.¡± She looked at Nann who nodded at her. Leo and Maxim indicated their readiness as well. ¡°When I make the call they will know we are here so we have to move quickly.¡±


    ¡°Right. Wait for my signal to make the call.¡± Gee said and flicked her fingers at Bal. They pulled up the integrated hoods of their gossamer gowns. With a nce at each other they pressed something on their belts. There was a click, a buzz and they were no longer there. Rather, there was a rippling as light bent around their shapes. The faint buzzing moved away. The Major peered around the corner and had difficulty seeing the two agents moving up the sunlight dappled sidewalk.


    The blurs moved quickly up the opposite side of the street from the van. When they stopped moving they were directly across the street from the van but the Major could no longer see them.


    A taxi made its way up the street and passed the van. Once it was two car lengths past the blurs darted across the road to the van and disappeared once more.


    The Major strained to see what was happening but their disguises made them almost invisible from this distance.


    Then she noticed the blurs moving in opposite directions, towards the front slowly and faster towards the back. Between them stuck to the side of the van was a gleaming metallic wide strip of tape.


    They were taping the truck closed? What the hell?


    When the blurs moved out of sight she turned back to Nann to give her a worried look so she missed the bright sh of white light. Turning back she saw Gee and Bal running back to her position. The van had a scorch mark encircling it and the doors had been welded shut. The vehicle was rocking and there was a subdued sound of shouting but they were stuck.


    The Major dialed the number she had queued on herm. It answered on the first ring.


    ¡°Cha¡¯Risa, it that you?¡± asked a deep gravelly voice.


    Her throat seized up. It was Ray¡¯s dad. How was she supposed to answer for getting his boy killed?


    ¡°Are you here?¡± he continued gruffly.

 72

    ¡°Y-yes sir.¡±


    ¡°Meet us at his door.¡± The line went dead.


    The Major nodded to her team and they rushed across the road and up the street, the Altarians at their heels. They descended the stairs and rushed into the open basement door until they were all inside.


    The team stood before a small, elegantly dressed older woman with dark skin. She was wearing a sad smile on her face. She opened her arms and pulled Cha¡¯Risa into a hug and the big woman began to cry. An equally dark skinned man with short grey hair stepped into the room after locking the door they¡¯d entered. He pulled Nann into a hug as well. Maxim and Leo looked lost and the older man shook their hands once he released Nann.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t have much time so speak with Ray¡¯s construct and we¡¯ll get you on your way. You have some murderers to expose,¡± the man growled.


    ¡°Ray¡¯s construct?¡± Nann asked.


    ¡°Hello Nann.¡±


    The woman spun and shrieked as she saw Ray looking at her from the disy mounted on the wall.


    ¡°Ray?¡± the Major asked.


    ¡°Sorry Major, this is just a poor imitation of me. I¡¯ve been uploading copies of my memories and personality matrix at intervals for years and incorporated that into a rather clever AI algorithm I wrote. It was triggered to be activated upon my death. It isn¡¯t sentient but it¡¯s as close as I could get and as current a copy of me as I could make. It knows all my tricks for hacking and cyber espionage. I assume you are looking for my data cache?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t have time to get it from this location. You¡¯re going to havepany in about three minutes. Point yourm at the screen. I¡¯ll give you the alternate location. Then you have to go!¡±


    The Major pointed herm at the disy and it beeped as it received the coordinates.


    ¡°Go! You have less than three minutes. Dad, send them downstairs.¡± Ray¡¯s simtion barked then disappeared.


    ¡°Right! Follow me!¡± the old man said and rushed out of the room towards the back of the house. The team followed and he led them into a small office against the back wall. He pushed the throw rug aside and lifted a trap door. There was a metal spiral staircase descending below the floor. Gee and Bal immediately rushed forward and dashed down the stairs with mini shlights in their hands. The team followed with the Major goingst.


    ¡°We will get them sir,¡± she said.


    ¡°I know. Make them pay,¡± he said seriously. She nodded and rushed down the stairs.


    As she descended she heard a rumbling and looked up to see arge metal te moving into ce over the staircase. At the base of the stairs was a long tunnel leading east. Gee and Bal had already set off. The moment she arrived the others ran down the tunnel. There was a steel door at the end and Gee and Bal had it open. A wide tunnel ran north and south.


    ¡°North for 1 kilometer then we exit. Let¡¯s go!¡± the Major said ncing at herm. Ray¡¯s simtion left her instructions as well as the address for the next data cache location. Tokyo? Shit.


    They made it to the staircase leading up and found themselves in a maintenance shed. Nann cracked the door and peered out as a police cruiser raced by down the alley. ¡°Geezus, we¡¯ve stirred up a rat¡¯s nest.¡±


    ¡°The old van in garage #24 across thene belongs to Ray. The lockbo is 38-24-36,¡± the Major read out.


    Nann snorted. ¡°Aren¡¯t those your measurements, Major?¡±


    Therge warrior blushed and scowled at Nann who justughed. She looked outside again. ¡°Clear.¡±


    She moved across thene and undid the lock. Once therge garage door was open the rest of the group hustled across and climbed into the back doors of the van. There were two benches along the walls with handholds, obviously designed for amando team. Nann rushed up and took the driver¡¯s seat while the Major settled into the passenger¡¯s seat.


    ¡°Hello again!¡± Ray¡¯s voice popped out of the dash and Nann jumped with a little squeak. The Major smirked at her while Nann¡¯s face burned.


    ¡°The windows of this van project and image of an elderly Hispanic couple so just drive sedately and you shouldn¡¯t have any trouble. If you do have trouble the van is armored and supercharged. The red button on the dash under the flip te should only be used as ast resort.¡±


    ¡°Paranoid much?¡± Nann said.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying this now?¡± Ray¡¯s voice asked.


    Nann looked at the Major with a disturbed expression. It was too much like Ray, it was making her forget he was dead.


    They got underway and followed Ray¡¯s advice, keeping their speed down and driving timidly. They made it out of the neighborhood and on towards the extraction point.


    Ray¡¯s voice cut back in. ¡°How do you n to get to the next location?¡±


    ¡°Gate,¡± the Major said.


    ¡°I¡¯m reading that all Gates are in lockdown.¡± Ray said.


    ¡°We have our own,¡± Nann offered.


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great! How close to it are we?¡± Ray asked.


    ¡°Three kilometers, why?¡± the Major asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to hit the red button. Like now!¡± Ray yelled and Nann flipped the cover and pounded the button. There was a huge sh outside the van and vehicles all around them including the two police cruisers racing up behind them, lost their lift fields in the massive EMP burst. Nann mmed the elerator down and the van shot forward, destroying the illusion of its elderly driver.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    She poured on the speed, careening through the city streets, bumping other vehicles to add chaos to the road behind them. Twice she had to make radical course changes to avoid the police blockades.


    ¡°Nann, take the next right then a hard left into the first alley. Get to the end and the alley across the main road has our Gate.¡± Cha¡¯Risa called out.


    She swung them to the right and barely dodged and oing police cruiser which spun in ce and took up pursuit down the alley Nann shot them into.


    ¡°OK, time for me to take over. Get into the back and strap in, fast!¡± Ray called out. Nann and the Major exchanged a quick look then unbuckled and jumped between the seats to buckle themselves in with the others. They grabbed the hand holds as a metal panel mmed down between the driver¡¯spartment and the back throwing them all into darkness.


    The van elerated towards the roadway ahead when a police cruiser skidded to a halt at the far end, blocking their exit.


    There was a loud pop in the back of the van and suddenly everyone was encased in impact gel. The van¡¯s nose dipped to grind against the pavement when the back cabin exploded upwards in a ballistic arc over the cruiser, over the road, and into the alley beyond. Thepartment crashed down with a mighty boom and tumbled end over end until it just¡­ disappeared. A brick wall suddenly snapped into ce where they¡¯d tumbled only moments before.


    The badly dented metalpartment finally came to rest on a field of sand and rocks. It was night where they¡¯d emerged and the closest man made light source was a very dry three day walk to the east.


    The two Tik moved to the wreckage and using their powerful tentacles they carefully peeled back the metal walls. The moment the external pressure was removed the gel began to fracture and dissolve.


    Maxim and Leo burst free gasping for breath. While the gel was porous enough to breathe in it did trigger ustrophobic reactions.


    They looked around in shock until their eyes adjusted to the moonlight.


    Major Ash and Nann broke free next and assisted the Altarians who both seemed dazed. Once they were freed they found a t space on the ground andid down. The Tik scanned them for injury but found them to be just badly shaken and disoriented.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± Maxim asked.


    ¡°Australian outback,¡± one of the Tik offered.


    ¡°Our next destination is in Tokyo but the instructions say we can¡¯t arrive before 9PM,¡± the Major sighed.


    ¡°Major Ash, we will need time to recharge as the Gate we had to rapidly alter consumed arge quantity of our energy. We can reach sufficient charge by 8PM local time.¡±


    ¡°OK¡­ but there isn¡¯t exactly anyce close by to plug in,¡± she gestured around them.


    ¡°There is plenty of sunlight. We will shut down into maintenance mode and deploy our collectors. This is why it will take until 8PM,¡± it replied. She nodded and walked over to the bent open vanpartment.


    ¡°Maxim! Leo! Help me flip this beast upside down. This will be our shelter from the sun today.¡±


    The two Tik also lent a tentacle or two and the makeshift cave came into being. It wasn¡¯t huge but they would be sheltered from the sun. They could take turns sleeping on the ground three at a time while the others sat in the open ends keeping watch under an awning made from the roof¡¯s sheet metal, torn and bent into shape by the Tik.


    ¡°Major.¡± Gee called out weakly.


    Therge woman knelt down beside the Altarian.


    ¡°I would like to request that the next time such a means of travel is decided upon, we get thrown from the vehicle first.¡± Gee said with a wobbling voice.


    ¡°Seconded.¡± Bal croaked.


    The Major grinned down at the dizzy agents. ¡°If ever we find ourselves in that situation again I will personally leap from the back door with you both in my arms.¡±


    Gee patted her knee and slumped to the ground waiting for the world to stop spinning.


    Cha¡¯Risa stood up and joined Nann at the side of their shelter.


    ¡°Now for our next trick all we need to do is endure a day in the outback with no water,¡± the tall red head said quietly. She shared a look with the Major.


    It was going to be a long day.

 73

    An antiseptic scent burned in Jack¡¯s nose as he awoke in a strange brightly lit room. He rxed the moment he spotted Eve sitting in a chair next to his bed with Joseph in her arms. She smiled at him then her expression turned into a scowl.


    ¡°You must stop antagonizing First!¡±


    ¡°I just said what needed to be said,¡± he frowned.


    ¡°It hurt you badly this time.¡± she said in concern.


    ¡°What?¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°You were screaming in your sleep. About being on fire.¡± She had a haunted look in her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I frightened you. It was bad this time but I wouldn¡¯t change what I did,¡± he said stubbornly.


    They were silent for a while. Eve watched Joseph sleep and Jack watched her.


    She looked up at Jack and held his eyes. ¡°They went mad.¡±


    His eyebrows went up. ¡°Who did?¡±


    ¡°The monitoring personnel. The ones who were linked to you. When we had sex.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Jack looked at her, shaken.


    ¡°When I was in First¡¯s office they were trying to determine what happened to them. They think it¡¯s your cor. It was designed by the Prime. They don¡¯t have any other cors that can match it. They said it has far more¡­ no, much wider bandwidth than anything they have. It saturates the feed and overloads those connected to it. They feel too much. Two of the monitoring staff were still connected when Drew punched you. One went into shock and the other flew into a rage and triggered the kill setting on Drew¡¯s cor. The other two, who disconnected before the attack, became excessively violent when they tried to stop it¡­ but it turned on them. They killed each other. Only the catatonic one is still alive. That¡¯s why they didn¡¯t respond when we called for help.¡±


    Jack had a bad feeling forming in the back of his mind. ¡°Why am I here in this¡­ hospital room? Is this a hospital?¡±


    Eve looked worried. ¡°I¡¯ve never been in this building before. No one aside from the Allsa Komanae are allowed in this building. It¡¯s where they go when they start wearing out.¡±


    Jack raised his eye brows at Eve.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been around them for longer than anyone. I¡¯ve seen them before and after a visit to this building. They always return refreshed and sharper of mind. I- I¡¯ve seen their organics¡­ before and after. No one pays attention to me.¡±


    ¡°Their organics?¡± Jack asked quietly.


    ¡°The Allsa Komanae arergely cybeic. They are geniuses with this tech. But their organics are¡­ ancient and horrid. They alle back here for refreshing.¡±


    Jack leaned back and thought about that. He was currently inside a building where outsiders were forbidden. Where the Allsa Komanae migrated to rece their worn out organic body parts. There had to be a way to use that to his advantage.


    ¡°Did they mention why we were brought here?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No. First was¡­ extremely agitated when it discovered what happened in the monitoring center. It was screaming at the others that you weren¡¯t to be used for sex games. I¡¯ve never seen First lose control of its emotions like that. It ordered that you be brought here and sent me with them after we picked up Joseph from the infirmary. The baby is healthy and they gave me food for him. You mentioned the child should have been breast fed so I told them he needed liquid nourishment.¡± She gestured to a bag on the floor. ¡°I have several meals prepared for him.¡±


    Jack smelled something particrly foul. He looked at the baby and wrinkled his nose. ¡°I think Joseph made a deposit in his¡­¡± he frowned. ¡°Does he have something to wear?¡±


    ¡°The medics made him some small tunics. They¡¯re in the bag. He does smell very bad,¡± Eve held her nose away from the infant.


    Jack needed to do a little exploring to see if he could find a way to strike back at their captors. Maybe he could use this. He looked around. ¡°Does this room have a washroom? Somece we could clean Joseph up?¡±


    ¡°This building was never designed to have anyone but an Allsa Komanae in it and they don¡¯t need washrooms.¡± Eve admitted.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Jack smiled.


    He slipped from the bed and approached them panel by the door. He pressed the call button. Momentster someone responded.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°The baby has evacuated its bowel and I need to clean it up. I need ess to water, clean cloths and waste disposal.¡± Jack said with a calm voice.


    ¡°Send the female out to do this. You must stay in the room.¡±


    Jack smiled. ¡°The female has never done this before with a human child. I must show her how it is done so that she may do it in the future. If it is not done right the child will develop sores on its body which will be infected and the child will die. The Prime wouldn¡¯t like that.¡± Joseph chose that moment to begin crying. ¡°Already the female waited too long to notify me of his condition and the infant¡¯s skin has be irritated. I hope it isn¡¯t toote.¡±


    There was a period of silence. Jack hoped they were panicking, or better, calling First to get permission. If it was in as bad a mood as Eve suggested-


    ¡°Stand back from the door! We will take you,¡± burst from them.


    Jack moved back to the center of the room and Eve stood beside him with the squalling baby. He took the child into his arms. He noticed Eve had tears in her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I waited too long to tell you and the child is in danger,¡± she whimpered.


    Jack leaned in close. ¡°No, I just said that to make them panic. The baby might have a little diaper rash but this is easily treated.¡± He gave Eve a quick kiss and she squeaked. When he pulled back she was giving him a confused but heated look.


    The doors opened and the three guards on the other side saw them gazing into each other¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°NO SEX! NO SEX!¡± the center yelled at them. The other two twitched.


    Jack stood up straight and looked in surprise at the guards. Obviously First had left very strict instructions. He nodded and the three leaned back as Joseph¡¯s cries escted in volume.


    ¡°We need to be quick!¡± Jack said.


    The center moved down the hall to the left and the other two pointed so Jack moved and Eve followed.


    They passed several rooms with Allsa Komanae working on others and Jack almost got to see one unhooded but the guards behind them pushed them forward.


    Joseph¡¯s cries began to get truly intive. ¡°Are we close? He can¡¯t take much more.¡±


    The leading guard stopped and spun around. It set off down a maintenance ess way and opened up the first door they came to. Jack followed it in and saw the room was filled with tall silver canisters. Three closed canisters were sitting on some kind of conveyor setup against one wall. Mechanical arms mounted on the ceiling lifted three empty canisters from the conveyor and ced them in three empty slots on a pallet of empties. The three closed ones slowly moved through an opening in the wall and were gone.


    Against the opposite wall was a sink and a t work surface next to it. Jackid Joseph on the surface and undid his nket. The odor that came out was horrific and Jack had to lean back to avoid the worst of it.


    ¡°Oh my god that¡¯s foul! I¡¯ll need a towel to clean him and a new tunic from the bag.¡± Jack gasped and looked back at Eve. She stared wide eyed at him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring the bag,¡± she squeaked.


    Jack was delighted but he put a shocked expression on his face then turned to the center guard. ¡°I need the bag.¡± The lead guard sent a burst of static at one of its underlings who promptly rushed away. One down.


    ¡°There are no towels in the bag.¡± Eve said as Joseph began to wail in earnest.


    The lead guard hissed again and guard number two rushed away. Two down.


    Jack quickly opened the towel all the way and there it was. ck and reeking like nothing he¡¯d ever smelled before. He had no idea why newborn shit was ck but it was nasty. Jack gagged and thest guard hit the door jamb in its haste to flee.


    Jack quickly looked at Eve. ¡°What¡¯s in these containers? Can you read this?¡± he said pointing to the strange scribbles on the sides of the canisters.


    ¡°It says ¡®Prime Source Growth Nutrients¡¯ but I don¡¯t know what that means.¡± Eve read.


    Jack lifted Joseph¡¯s feet and carefully wiped up as much of the ck goo as he could onto the towel. ¡°Stand here.¡± Jack said to Eve to watch over Joseph.


    As he turned the center guard stepped back into the room.


    ¡°Oh god it¡¯s dripping!¡± Jack shrieked.


    The Allsa Komanae hit the side of the door once more as it fled.


    Jack quickly moved to the full canisters and opened the seal on the nearest one. He scraped the gooey, dripping contents of the towel into the opening. He got the lid closed and rushed over to the sink just as the guard with the bag rushed into the room. The guard with the towels stepped in momentster followed by the leader as Jack washed the original towel in the sink. He got the remnants of the goo washed from the cloth and figured out how to make the water the right temperature for wiping the baby¡¯s bottom clean. He demonstrated this to Eve and he wiped the tiny bottom carefully until it was clean. There was just a little redness.


    ¡°It looks like we¡¯ve managed to avoid the sores. His skin only looks slightly irritated,¡± he said watching the lead guard as it walked around the canister loading mechanism. Jack began to sweat, worried it would spot something about the one he¡¯d opened.


    ¡°Do you have some talc powder?¡± he asked the lead guard who jolted to a stop.


    ¡°NO! WE HAVE NO TALC POWDER!¡± it shouted at him. Obviously it was still a little upset.


    The loader¡¯s arms lifted the tampered canister with its two neighbors and ced them onto the conveyor. Jack never looked at it directly but he looked into the cowl of the lead guard whose back was now to the conveyor.


    ¡°Cornstarch?¡±


    ¡°NO!¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Jack said with a pout as he saw the conveyor move the canisters into the wall. He had no idea if his little act of rebellion would do anything or have any effect but it felt damn good to make the attempt at least.


    Joseph had calmed as he was naked and clean.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Jack turned back to the guards. ¡°How about some diapers?¡±


    ¡°I DON¡¯T KNOW WHAT DIAPERS ARE SO¡­ NO! NO DIAPERS!¡±


    Joseph began to cry again.


    ¡°Tell it we don¡¯t have diapers,¡± the lead guard growled.


    Jack changed the baby as best he could and they were rushed back to the room.


    Once they were alone Eve took Joseph and prepared to feed him from one of the bags of ¡®milk¡¯ she¡¯d gotten from the medics. It had a spout which she was about to put into the baby¡¯s mouth.

 74

    ¡°Hold on. It wille out too fast. He needs to suckle.¡± Jack said and took the bag from Eve. He closed the spout and bit a tiny hole in one of the corners. He squeezed gently and a thin stream spurted out.


    ¡°Put this in his mouth and he should be able to suck the food out slow enough for him to swallow. Almost as if he was sucking on his mother¡¯s nipple.¡± Jack handed it back to Eve who was watching him with wide eyes. He saw the desire in them and he leaned forward and kissed her. She moaned into the kiss and Jack had to pull away when her tongue became a little too demanding. Eve¡¯s face wore a lustful but confused expression. She did as instructed and soon Joseph was sucking his meal from the bag.


    That taken care of Jack¡¯s mind was no longer upied and it turned back to worrying about why he was in this building to begin with.


    He paced until Eve asked him to stop. He made a makeshift bed for Joseph from the towels in the bag when he fell asleep in Eve¡¯s arms after his meal. She ced the infant on the towels then dragged Jack onto the bed.


    She pushed him down and rubbed her palm over his stiffening member. He moaned and Eve grinned at him as she pushed his tunic up to expose his cock. She nced up and extended her tongue out to lick its hot surface.


    ¡°Oh fuck!¡± Jack moaned softly.


    Emboldened she ran her long tongue up and down its length and smiled at how Jack squirmed under her. When he¡¯d used his tongue on her this was exactly the reaction she¡¯d had so she knew she was doing something right.


    She wrapped her tongue around his cock and squeezed it.


    ¡°FUCK! OH FUCK YES!¡± Jack gasped and his hips raised up off the bed. Eve was seriously turned on and wanted him now! She stroked his cock a few times with her tongue, drawing gasps and moans from Jack, then she climbed up his body to rub her wet opening along his stiffness.


    Jack took her face in his hands and kissed her hard and she felt her mind drifting away. He suddenly shifted on the bed and pulled her body under his. His weight pressed her down against the mattress and she moaned feeling his hot cock pressed against her wetness. He shifted then he was inside her and it was glorious!


    He mmed forward driving his cock deep inside Eve and she cried out and clung to him, her heels crossing behind his ass and pulling him deeper. He pulled back and drove forward again and again as Eve sucked on his tongue until she had to pull back to breathe.


    ¡°Harder Jack! Harder!¡± she whispered in his ear.


    A thrill ran down his spine and his hips responded to her plea with increased speed and strength. He was hammering into her and she was whimpering with need as she was getting very close.


    Jack¡¯s mind splintered as multiple ss fragments burst into it from many directions. He was too close to his release to stop now but the pain threw him off his pace until he felt Eve¡¯s hands on his ass, urging him to go faster. He threw himself back into the moment and moved his mouth down to Eve¡¯s neck. He wondered if she had the same instinctual reaction to a neck bite as Altarians. Considering her fangs he took the precaution of taking a good grip on the fur at the back of her head before he raked his teeth against her throat and growled deep in his chest.


    If he hadn¡¯t taken that hold her fangs would have been in his neck as her body reacted violently. More of a fight reflex then. Noted.


    When he pulled his head back to gaze upon her face he saw she was looking at him with wide eyes and she was panting from the adrenaline rush. He lifted her legs up to raise her ass from the mattress and began slow hard pounding strokes that reached spots he hadn¡¯t touched before. Her eyes rolled back and it felt incredible for him as well.


    ¡°Jack! Oh Jack! I- I can¡¯t take much more! It¡¯s- It¡¯s happening!¡±


    ¡°Let it happen Eve. Cum for me.¡± Jack whispered and his gentle words tipped Eve over the top.


    ¡°Oh! Oh! Ohhhhhhhhh Jaaackkk!!! Yesssssss!¡±


    Her happy cries triggered his release as well and he felt his cock jetting hot cum deep inside her as pleasure washed over his senses. He gave himself over to it.


    ¡°Oh Jack! So good!¡± Eve sighed.


    Jack lowered her legs back to the surface of the bed and dipped his face down to kiss Eve tenderly. Her body trembled under him.


    He pulled his softening cock from her causing her to sigh and tremble some more. Heid down on the mattress beside her and kissed her lips once more. Then she pressed her face against his chest and began to cry.


    ¡°Hey! No tears! There¡¯s no need to cry,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt so much when you¡¯re gone,¡± she gasped against his chest.


    He thought about how she¡¯d survived in this horror for so long. She really was incredibly strong. ¡°I don¡¯t n on going anywhere but you¡¯re right. We¡¯re not exactly in control of our own destinies at the moment. I can¡¯t promise anything except I won¡¯t give up hope. I won¡¯t give up trying to survive. I know in my heart that people out there are looking for me and won¡¯t give up until they¡¯ve found me. People who won¡¯t be deterred by something as minor as theck of Gates to this world. I won¡¯t leave this world without you. We all go.¡±


    He looked into her grey eyes and saw the beginnings of hope. ¡°I consider myself incredibly lucky to have met you. I treasure the moments we can be together. Sometimes that¡¯s all you get. Moments. They should be happy ones and they should bring you joy when you think of them. I-¡±


    There was a deafening boom from somewhere nearby and they were almost thrown from the bed. Joseph began crying so Eve leapt off the bed, scooped the child and his nkets up in her arms, grabbed the bag of his food and clothing and climbed back onto the bed before Jack even had time to sit up. Her maternal instinct was certainly intact.


    They held each other and waited as silence returned. No rms. No yelling. Just silence. Minutes passed.


    Jack was about to get up to check the door when it slid open to show First standing in the entrance.


    ¡°Get on your feet!¡± it yelled. Eve was off the bed in a second, Jack close behind but not fast enough apparently as he found himself on his face, the memory of agony quickly fading. He pushed himself up and nced at the panicked look in Eve¡¯s eyes. He shook his head minimally to her then kept his eyes down.


    First entered the room alone and the door slid shut behind him.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite the disappointment to me.¡±


    Jack went still. Had First discovered his little poop sabotage?


    ¡°I had hoped to learn the secrets of your discipline cor with the equipment here but you¡¯ve ruined that chance. I suppose it shouldn¡¯t be a surprise considering how savage and primitive the Human species is. Your base reflex is violence and destruction and it¡¯s so close to the surface! How your species survived to reach this point is a mystery. Ironically that very thing may be the reason your cor feed is so damn irresistible for us.¡± First mused.


    Jack was back on the floor writhing from a slow burning of his limbs. He sent Eve a warning look to be still and she stood trembling with Joseph in her arms.


    ¡°Eighteen dead because of you!¡± First raged over Jack who was seriously beginning to believe First was losing control if its mind. ¡°All because six disobeyed direct orders not to connect to your cor¡¯s feed!¡±


    Jack screamed in agony as fire poured over his body. First stood above him screaming at him in rage.


    Then as quickly as it began it was over.


    Jacky panting on the floor, his limbs trembling with the afterimage of the burning. First stood above him, a faint trembling the only evidence of his previous rage. It turned and left the room. Two Allsa Komanae came in and grabbed Jack¡¯s arms and lifted him but his legs wouldn¡¯t work so they dragged him. Eve quickly followed.


    They passed the open wall of the next office, destroyed by the explosion. The carnage inside was horrifying. The next room beyond that was one of the wards where the iing Allsa Komanae got their rejuvenation treatments. The explosion had spread to this room as well, ripping through the upants like tissue paper. Jack realized with shock that had the explosion been directed the other way it would have killed Eve, Joseph and himself.


    He caught glimpses of the dead Allsa Komanae and realized Eve was right. Their fleshy parts were indescribably horrid. It looked like rot had set in.


    When they got outside of the building Jack was thrown into the back of a truck. Eve scrambled into the truck with Joseph tucked in her arm. The doors closed and took the light with them. The vehicle began to move and the journey wasn¡¯t very long thankfully for the air in the back was stuffy and hot.


    The doors opened and Jack recognized the doors to their barracks. He pushed himself up and staggered after Eve out of the truck and through the doors. Kekk was immediately there to support him and led him towards the sleeping area. Ste was watching Jack from Eve¡¯s side as they followed, the small female filling her in quietly.


    Kekkid Jack down on the bed and leaned over him. ¡°I hope it was worth this pain.¡±N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°What?¡± Jack asked in confusion.


    ¡°When Ist saw you, First punished you for your careless tongue and took you away. Now that you¡¯re back you are in pain once more.¡±


    ¡°This time it punished me for causing the death of eighteen Allsa Komanae. I have no idea how they died but apparently six were linked to my cor as¡­ Eve and I¡­ expressed our desire for each other. Shortly afterwards there was a ratherrge explosion and the final tally was eighteen dead.¡±


    Kekk grinned in grim joy and Jack froze as Kekk¡¯s mouth of sharp teeth was a daunting sight.


    ¡°Apologies Jack. I am simply expressing my appreciation for your¡­ achievements to date.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything. It¡¯s the damn cor they put on me. It¡¯s like a drug to them! They can¡¯t seem to resist connecting then it fucks them up!¡±


    ¡°One can only hope more are drawn to its deadly call.¡± Kekk chuckled and moved away.


    Ste sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Jack with sad eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Eve told me what First did to you. This is not its usual behavior. In the time I have been here it has been the most stable and calm of the Allsa Komanae. I¡¯m worried for your safety,¡± she whispered.


    Eve sat down next to Ste and watched him with a concerned expression.


    Jack remembered something and caught her eyes. ¡°Eve, First linked to my cor.¡± She nodded nervously.


    Heid back on the mattress staring at the ceiling and considered how their continued survival now relied upon the good will of a being who might just be mad.

 75

    As they huddled together for warmth in the alley Gee and Bal shared a look. They¡¯d spent a day roasting in the dry Australian outback counting the seconds until their next jump through a Gate only to arrive in a misty rain in one of Japan¡¯s busiest cities. Once more they were going to have to be quick as the local authorities were going to be alerted to their illegal entry and Japan still had a very strict policy regarding visitors to their country.


    The Major was getting their bearings. Apparently there was a hotel they had to find. The cache was hidden in one of the rooms. Luckily the weather meant less people on the street and the darkness should have assisted them but this area was well lit withrge neon signs and LED disys.


    ¡°OK, our destination is only a block away. There is an alley behind the hotel that would make an excellent extraction point. Set it up here.¡± Cha¡¯Risa said to the group and showed the map to the Tik so they could get into position in the alley. ¡°Leo, Maxim, I want you two to situate yourselves here and here to cover the alley and protect our exit.¡± She pointed to spots halfway down the alley in either direction to enable them to get back to the Gate which would be across the alley from the back door. She nodded and the twomandos slipped away as the Tik shot upwards.


    The Major looked at Nann and the Altarians. ¡°We go in the front door and up to the seventh floor. Room 703. We will need to pop the electronic lock which will likely trip the rm. We will only have ten minutes at most to collect the cache. Ready? Let¡¯s go.¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Gee confirmed there were no police in sight so they stepped out of the alley and began making their way towards the hotel. They stayed a dozen paces ahead of the Major and Nann so they reached the hotel and looked in the doors as they passed. They saw nothing suspicious in the entrance or the hallway beyond so they slowed their pace and let the others reach the door and enter before they turned to follow. The clerk was arguing with the Major about something so Gee shot him with a tranquilizer dart as she passed on her way to the elevator bank. The clerk slid to the floor slowly with a happy look on his face.


    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Cha¡¯Risa growled out at she followed the Altarians into the elevator with Nann.


    ¡°A happy knock out shot. He will sleep for an hour and awake ted and refreshed with no memory of thest few minutes. This will also give us time before he contacts the authorities.¡± Gee exined.


    The Major frowned but had to admit it was a good idea.


    They exited on the seventh and found 703. Before they could pop the lock its light went green so Nann looked at the Major then opened the door and rushed in.


    A balding Japanese man stripped down to his undershirt, boxers and tall ck socks shrieked in fear as the Major burst into the room after Nann, both with their weapons ready. The two Altarians followed closely and closed the door. They found themselves in a room made up to look like a ssroom. The oddest thing was the bed pushed up against the wall with the catmps on the end tables; one ck and one white.


    A pretty young Japanese woman knelt on the bed wearing a school girl uniform staring at them with wide eyes. Gee noted that she was remarkably calmpared to the man. She was looking at the uniforms Nann and the Major were wearing and there seemed to be some recognition in her eyes.


    The man began to babble and cry so Gee darted him as well. He slumped to the floor with a smile on his face and fear finally appeared on the young woman¡¯s face as she looked at Gee.


    The disy mounted on the wall suddenly came to life and Ray was looking out at them.


    ¡°Ray-kun!¡± the woman cried in a happy if desperate voice.


    Nann looked at her with raised eyebrows then turned to face Ray, whose mouth was working in surprise but he wasn¡¯t saying anything. He finally got control.


    ¡°Nami-chan! I- I didn¡¯t expect you to be here!¡± Ray¡¯s simcrum stuttered.


    The Major¡¯s eyebrows rose in surprise at how realistic Ray had made his online avatar. ¡°Ray, we don¡¯t have time for this,¡± she growled.


    Ray¡¯s image flickered and he came back with a smile. ¡°The cache in this location is still secure. Major, walk over to the ck catmp.¡±


    She gave the screen a frown but walked over beside the bed and approached amp shaped like a ck cat. It was smiling with one eye closed.


    ¡°It needs a voice print so tell it your name and say ¡®open up neko¡¯,¡± Ray instructed. She red back at the disy but Ray just nodded. She turned back to themp.


    ¡°This is Major Cha¡¯Risa Ash. Open up¡­ neko,¡± she said, scowling at how silly she felt.


    There was a whirring noise and the cat¡¯s lower jaw dropped exposing one sharp white upper fang pointing downwards.


    ¡°Touch the pad of your bare pinky fingertip to the tooth. It will prick you and take a DNA sample to confirm you are you. If you pass then the cache will activate. Otherwise the cache gets fried.¡±


    ring once more at Ray¡¯s image the Major jabbed her finger on the tooth and felt the pinch. After a moment the cat¡¯s closed eye opened and both eyes lit up. Nami squeaked with glee and pped her hands.


    ¡°So cute, Ray-kun!¡± she cheered.


    ¡°Thank you Nami-chan! Major, the cache is active. You need to physically connect yourm to it as the cache requires a wired connection. The port is in the mouth,¡± Ray instructed.


    Cha¡¯Risa unspooled the tether from herm and connected it to the small port in the mouth of the catmp. Herm came online and she tapped the screen to confirm she wanted to ept the data. The transfer began.


    Nann stepped closer to the bed. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Ray¡¯s friend Nann. How do you know Ray?¡± she asked Nami.


    The pretty girl smiled shyly. ¡°Ray-kun is my boyfriend!¡±


    Nann¡¯s face froze. She wanted to grin and tease Ray but the thing on the screen was just a digital copy. Nami obviously hadn¡¯t been told yet about Ray¡¯s death. The poor girl wasn¡¯t going to like the news. She looked to the disy and was surprised to see the simcrum¡¯s face showing so muchpassion. She wondered exactly how advanced this program was.


    Them beeped indicating the file transfer was done. The Major unplugged them and retracted its cable back inside the device.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to go Major. You have four minutes to vacate the building. Police are iing,¡± Ray warned. ¡°I¡¯m going to set off the fire rm in one minute. That will sow some chaos to cover your exit.¡±


    ¡°When are youing to visit me Ray-kun?¡± Nami asked sweetly.


    The Major looked awkwardly at Nann who had an ufortable expression on her face. The sweet young woman looked between the two of them.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok Major. You and Nann get moving. I will speak with Nami-chan,¡± Ray smiled and the girl beamed a smile at him. ¡°Major. Nann, it was an honor serving with you both.¡±


    They nodded to Ray, once more wondering at the eerie realism he¡¯d added to his surrogate. They turned and gestured to Gee and Bal who slipped out into the hall and raced for the rear stair case. The Major and Nann were close behind. The fire rm went off before they descended more than a single flight. Ray¡¯s voice was repeating a Japanese word over the building PA system and he sounded intense.


    ¡°Something¡¯s not right.¡± Nann said. They managed two more flights before civilians in their underwear and dressing gowns began rushing into the stairwell in a panic. This slowed their descent but they finally managed to get to the back door and slip outside with the others. Once more the mist helped hide them. They pressed themselves up against the back wall of the building as the others ran quickly down the alley in either direction.


    ¡°Something¡¯s definitely wrong. Where are the Tik? Where are Maxim and Leo?¡± Nann asked. She pulled herm and sent a quick note. Just as she hit send there was a mighty thump and the building shook behind them. The team dashed across the alley and dove behind a dumpster just as the falling ss hit the road¡¯s surface and exploded in all directions. They looked up and fire was gushing out of most of the windows on the seventh floor.


    The rear door burst open again and Nami stumbled out with three others falling onto the road. Gee and Bal darted forward and collected the dazed woman from the ground and hustled her back to the rtive safety of their temporary shelter. The girl had been crying but now her face was covered in soot and grime.


    ¡°Nami! You need to go home, now. Get to safety!¡± the Major said once she¡¯d caught the girl¡¯s attention.


    Nami nodded and pointed up the alley.


    With a nod from the Major, Gee and Bal quickly escorted Nami to the end of the alley. They confirmed the way was clear and the young woman rushed off in the direction of the subway. The two agents rushed back to the dumpster.


    ¡°Maxim contacted me. They and the Tik are hiding in a small park at the south end of this alley. The Tik had a little ident in the park and they never made it to the alley. The four of them can¡¯t now because there are four Earth Security Council Force personnel at the park entrance across the street from the building. They were the ones who fired the incendiary grenades into the windows of the room we were just in.¡±

 76

    ¡°That¡¯s outside the realm of reasonable responses wouldn¡¯t you say? Far beyond what the Japanese government would condone.¡± Cha¡¯Risa said. ¡°These people need to be put down.¡±


    ¡°If I may, we should incapacitate them for capture by the local authorities. Our cause will not be furthered by bloodshed of those who look like allies,¡± Gee suggested.


    ¡°How do you suggest we ¡®incapacitate¡¯ four trained Earth Forcesmandos?¡± Cha¡¯Risa growled.


    ¡°The police will be here in one minute. Give us thirty seconds to nk themandos. Then draw their attention. We will do the rest.¡± Gee said looking up into her face calmly.


    With a nod Gee and Bal raced down the alley at top speed. They looked like shadows leaping from ce to ce.


    The Major shared a look with Nann then they made their way to the south end of the alley. Nann used the fiber cam on herm to peek around the corner. Sure enough there were the four agents preparing to storm the hotel to confirm their targets had been killed.


    ¡°It¡¯s time. This should draw their attention,¡± Major Ash stepped clear of the corner and sent a concussive round into the park¡¯s brickwork wall just to the left of themandos. The exploding brick and mortar peppered the four painfully but did no serious damage.


    They ducked behind the cover of a vendor booth and momentster Gee stepped out from behind the same booth and waved.


    The Major and Nann ran towards the park entrance and saw the fourmandos trussed up and unconscious on the sidewalk. A dart stuck out of each of their necks though one had a second dart sticking out of his nose.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Gee barked and Bal followed her running partner into the park.


    Nann gave the Major a surprised look then they ran after the Altarians.


    A short distance into the park they saw a small food wagon on its side and one of the Tik wedged inside, covered in noodles, trying to gently get free. The old vendor was standing beside the wagon wailing and shouting at the Tik. At the far side of the park the second Tik was cradling a bunch of stray kittens in its tentacles.


    ¡°WHAT THE FUCK? GATE! NOW PLEASE!¡± the Major bellowed. The Tik jammed in the noodle wagon took a grip with its powerful tentacles and ripped the structure in two to get free causing the old man to shriek in dismay. Bal moved forward and bowed deeply to the man as she held out a metallic card. He stopped his tirade to watch Bal and when he saw what she was offering to him his wizened features lit up in surprise. Apparently Altarian IOU cards were a knownmodity as the man returned Bal¡¯s bow, took the card and immediately fled with it clutched in his hand.


    The second Tik arrived with Leo. It still had one of the kittens with it. ¡°Where do you wish to go now?¡± it asked.


    ¡°Altaria! Ministry of Security! Now!¡± the Major barked as she heard the police arriving.


    The Tik positioned themselves side by side and a deep hum began. The Gate snapped into existence between them and the group saw themselves looking back.


    Leo and Maxim got a nod from Nann and they rushed through, quickly followed by the redhead. Gee and Bal pushed the Major through just as the police rushed into the park. The Tik shot through next and copsed the Gate behind them.


    The group stood on the greenwn before the Ministry building, enjoying the warm sunshine as security personnel ran towards them. Leo and Maxim surrendered their weapons as did Nann. Gee handed the Major¡¯s weapon to a waiting officer and the security staff rxed recognizing the two agents. The group immediately headed for the building and quickly made their way directly to the Security Minister¡¯s office.


    Hellna wasing around her desk as they entered. ¡°Were you sessful?¡±


    The Major nodded, holding up herm. They made their way over to a console where she¡¯d be able to disy the contents of the files she¡¯d collected. She connected herm and pulled up the files on therge disy. Ray had created a record of his research process, verbally spoken and transcribed automatically as he worked. In addition to this were a series of documents showing his findings. The transcript helped describe these other documents, exining what they meant and how he found them. Ray¡¯s signature was on this file. This was the report the Major had been expecting to find. She clicked on the transcript file and Ray¡¯s voice came out of the speakers under the disy.


    ¡°This is Lieutenant Ray Sharif, documenting my findings for Major Cha¡¯Risa Ash of Earth Security Council Force. It¡¯s, insert date here, and I am at the Los Angeles Gate following a money trail, catching the bad guys and serving up some cool justice. As Nann knows, nobody does it better than me.¡±


    Nann rolled her eyes and grinned at the Major but she had tears in her eyes too.


    ¡°Determining the members of the Los Angeles smuggling ring was child¡¯s y. This document,¡± A file in the folder highlighted momentarily, ¡°lists all of the ounts in use to collect and distribute the funds they earned for passing contraband through the Cargo Gates. And here are the names of these losers clearly linked to the ounts.¡± A second file highlighted.


    ¡°Surprise, surprise I found a link to two other cargo distribution Gates, New York and Moscow, and I¡¯ve added a few names from those as well but chasing this down is not my current priority so I am putting a bookmark in that.¡±


    ¡°Now, there is no name linked to the payment for the shipment the Team followed through to Rehm. There is a bank ount number however. I like these as they are my bullseye in the banking databases.¡± The sound of rapid typing ensued before his voice returned. ¡°This one, ah! It¡¯s a government ount. Officially opened ten years earlier for managing the funds of a small project for a branch of Earth¡¯s Trade Commission. Let¡¯s just see if the Trade Commission has any recent references to the ount.¡± More rapid typing sounds. ¡°Ok, the most recent activity in the bank ount wasn¡¯t referenced in any Trade Commission documentation. So these transactions weren¡¯t part of any official Trade Commission business. In fact, thest official Trade Commission document reference to the ount ID was its inclusion in a listing of stale ounts needing to be closed. The request memo came from¡­ the Trade Commission¡¯s oversight department and was sent to Director Goodson. That- that name sounds familiar. His responding email indicated the ounts had been closed and included the bank¡¯s transaction ID to prove it. I¡¯m going to look at the bank¡¯s transaction to see what our Director Goodson was up to¡­¡± Rays voice went quiet as the sound of frantic typing filled the speakers.


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯m back in the bank records but the list of closures they received from Goodson didn¡¯t include the ount in question. Huh. There is a transaction showing the ount had amunication redirect on it¡­ the new address is¡­ ah, an anonymous mailing repository. This could be a dead end. Time to pop their hood.¡± More typing. ¡°Well, thank goodness for dumb criminals. The anonymous ount was purchased with funds from Director Goodson¡¯s personal ount. Bravo!¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    The Major shared a look with Nann, Maxim, and Leo. The smugglers were paid from an ount only Goodson had ess to.


    Ray¡¯s voice continued as files lit up in the folder for each of the pieces of proof he¡¯d found. ¡°I am gging Lawrence Goodson, ex-Director of Earth¡¯s Trade Commission, as a prime suspect. I am now crawling all of his ounts.¡± There was a time jump in the recording as his tools needed time to do this work. ¡°My search yielded some good results. The official ounts have been closed and show no activity since the time he went on the run. Yes, it¡¯s that Mr. Goodson. The one who tried to kidnap Mr. Danner before. I did find the threads of a personal ount which has been used to ess the hidden bank ount. So now I¡¯m spelunking the history of this personal ount to find any correspondence that leads me to the kidnapping request. Since the shipment went to Rehm I am checking if any messages came from there¡­ and¡­ nope. How did Goodson get the request for the abduction? Maybe it is in the deleted correspondence. It would have to be recent so these messages should still exist on the servers. Looking¡­ looking¡­ hello, what¡¯s this? He was corresponding with a dark bulletin board. He has a recent message from the board. The board in question seems to be for underground anarchists. Clever. Time to dig a little deeper. Maybe these dudes know¡­ Fuck me.¡±


    A screen capture file loaded and they were looking at the front page of the bulletin board. Just ncing at the subject lines on the messages made the hairs on the back of Cha¡¯Risa¡¯s neck stand on end.


    ¡°This is a honeypot! It looks like a nasty little gathering ce for anarchists to share their ns for shit disturbing but it¡¯s actually run by the Earth Security Council! What the hell was Goodson, a man on the run from this very agency, doing essing this board? I¡¯m logging into the Earth Security Council databases to review the board policies.¡± There was another time jump and several files were highlighted in the folder indicating these contained the material he was speaking about.


    ¡°Ok, there are two levels of ounts on this board. Public ounts which can¡¯t see the internal, official gs or annotation fields on the messages and Admin ounts that see and maintain these internal fields. There is a field which indicates the message was nted. Fake leads which can be safely ignored by internal review processes until there are public responses. Here is the¡­ bad thing. The message in Goodson¡¯s email contains the gs and annotation fields. This means he¡¯s logging in with an Admin ount. How did he get a privileged ess ount? He was a criminal on the run at the time. I- I could follow this but I think it¡¯s taking me away from the goal of finding the source of the abduction message. Putting a bookmark in the privileged ount question.¡±

 77

    They heard the frustration in Ray¡¯s voice and Cha¡¯Risa smiled. She knew this was the kind of issue that drove Ray nuts. Holes in security were his personal torment which was ironic for someone who exploited these same security ws for what he did.


    ¡°Going back to the content of the message from the board, it looks very promising,¡± Ray¡¯s voice picked up a little energy. He was getting closer to his quarry.


    Another screen capture loaded and they saw a message referencing four numbers; two multipart ID¡¯s, a shipping ID, and a number representing a veryrge number of credits.


    Ray continued. ¡°Most would find the message to be meaningless but the first two ID¡¯s use a structure I¡¯ve seen before. They represent individuals who work for a government agency on Earth. I¡¯m going to look up the ID¡¯s. Be right back.¡± A time jump in the recording. ¡°The first ID belongs to Goodson from when he worked as the Director of the Trade Commission. Drumroll please! The second is the ID for Jack Danner, Earth¡¯s Trade Commissioner for Altaria. The shipping ID tracks to a warehouse on, you guessed it, Rehm. Coincidence? I think not!¡± Ray crowed.


    ¡°So the message is the kidnapping request directed specifically at Goodson. He¡¯d recognize his own ID and he obviously still had ess to the Trade Commission¡¯s personnel data. The rest of the message was the instructions, get Mr. Danner to that shipping address for this much money. I could probably spend additional time on reviewing past messages and find others directed to Goodson. Someone was working with him. Keeping him ahead of his hunters. I¡¯m going to bookmark that task as well.¡±


    The team heard him sigh and smiled to themselves.


    ¡°Now that I have the actual message ordering the abduction I will track it back to its source. There are approximately thirty staff ounts that have ess to the message board internally. The message to Goodson was created with an ID that belongs to a staff member who no longer works for the organization. The ID and ount should have been retired. What the creator of the message doesn¡¯t know is that all records track the terminal ID of the user as well. Looking through the logs it seems the message was created by¡­ shit. Hang on. I have to double check this.¡± Another time jump urred in the recording.


    Ray¡¯s voice returned and seemed a little shaky. The team exchanged nces.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s no mistake. The terminal in use when the message was created belongs to Ruan Steyn¡¯s executive secretary, Avery Mansfeld.¡±


    ¡°Son-of-a-bitch!¡± Cha¡¯Risa growled as Nann scowled. Maxim and Leo uttered some quiet Russian curses. Here was the source of their current misfortune.


    ¡°The man has ess to every bit of secret and privileged data that passes through the Security Council. He¡¯s protected by being at the very center of the most securework on Earth behind multiple levels of security and the strongest firewalls they could build.¡± Ray chuckled. ¡°Too bad for him I wrote most of that system. I¡¯m going to hack into his workstation. Yes, I understand the severity of this breach of security I¡¯m about to undertake but the evidence warrants it and I believe it¡¯s necessary. I¡¯m going to do a file dump of his workstation. Performance is going to tank on his machine so there¡¯s a chance he¡¯ll guess he¡¯s been hacked but it¡¯s my best option for gathering as many of his files as I can get.¡± The timestamp on the recording jumped again and multiple files highlighted in the folder.


    ¡°I- I did better than I thought before his workstation was pulled offline. I¡¯ve attached the most incriminating files to this report. The entirety of what I collected has gone into Earth Security Council Deep Storage. No way to erase that without destroying the entire building. You¡¯ll find the files under my name plus the keyword ¡®Shanghai Insider¡¯. The most important files are the extra contact list and the ledger. They were encrypted but seriously? Most of the names in the contact list meant nothing to me until I began linking them to their roles in government offices, the military, industry, and the media around the world. The ledger shows how the names from the contact list are all on the payroll of Mansfeld. The ount he transfers funds from takes deposits from an offworld ount which is a dead end to me.¡±


    There was some rapid typing and Ray¡¯s voice came back on. He sounded nervous.


    ¡°There is some seriously dangerous information in this report. I¡¯m going to file it in my personal data cache and send a copy to the Major¡¯s ount. Then I am going to disappear for a while. With all the poking I have done today that just seems prudent. Stay frosty!¡±


    Ray¡¯s digital signature was attached to the report.


    That¡¯s where the transcript ended.


    ¡°Good work Ray. Your best yet,¡± Nann said quietly.


    A grim expression on her face, Cha¡¯Risa looked to the others. ¡°We need to get this contact list and ledger to Rosseau and MacDenny. US Brigadier General Thane and Russian Colonel General Zutkov should also get the information. You¡¯ll note their names are not on the list. Speaking of which, the list can¡¯t be consideredplete. There are likely many people below these names who work for them in that capacity.¡±


    ¡°Ruan Steyn isn¡¯t on the list.¡± Hellna remarked.


    ¡°He¡¯s being manipted by his secretary, the actual power behind the scenes.¡± Nann replied.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°What¡¯s your next move?¡± Hellna asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re done running. Now we go on the offensive.¡± Seeing Gee¡¯s troubled look she added, ¡°Peacefully.¡±


    The three days after the explosion were very tense. At any moment Jack expected First to m through the doors, fry his brain and kill the others. His childish attempt at rebellion came back to haunt him every night in his dreams.


    They slept. Worked out. Ate. And repeat. None of the tasks he¡¯d been told he would be doing came to pass.


    Jack abstained from any further sexual intimacy but each night the two females would slip into his bed to takefort in being held close.


    Joseph seemed to be doing well. He ate his meals and slept through the night. The constant presence of both Eve and Ste who took turns cuddling the child close against their warm fur seemed to keep him content.


    In thete afternoon of the fourth day three Allsa Komanae guards showed up and guided them out of the barracks, across a wide courtyard and into the main building. This was supposed to be the Prime¡¯s Pce but it just looked like arger version of the square boxes infesting the rest of the city. There was no art or style to the building justrger rooms. Now that he was trapped inside an Allsa Komanae environment Jack was getting a very clear picture of the culture and perceptions of the race and it was frighteningly empty of beauty. There was no soul. The cubist skyline was mechanically cold.


    They arrived in a vast chamber with a central dais with a throne mounted at its top. They were currently behind it.


    Jack looked at hispanions to see if they found this as ridiculously theatrical as he did but saw they were actually unsettled by it. Even Kekk looked nervous. Jack wondered if he was missing something or maybe he¡¯d watched too many bad movies.


    As they were led around to the front of the dais they saw someone was sitting on the throne. The Prime had arrived? Now Jack felt his nerves jump. There had been no warning! No time to prepare!


    Once they¡¯d moved far enough around to see past the sides of the chair Jack realized it was just First sitting in the Prime¡¯s throne. Obviously she hadn¡¯t arrived yet. Jack felt his body rx and looked once more over at the others.


    Eve was carrying Joseph and held him close. Eyes on the floor and gently trembling.


    Ste was studiously staring at the floor as well and Jack could see the tension in the corners of her lovely eyes.


    Kekk had his head tipped forward but was looking at him out of the corner of his eyes. He seemed to be telling him to look down as well.


    Fire danced through his nerves and Jack hit the floor, hard.


    ¡°Your continued insolence is bing intolerable,¡± First muttered, its smooth voice echoing slightly from its lofty position in the huge room. There was an edge of tension in its voice that hadn¡¯t been there before.


    Jack stayed down on the floor as the cool surface counteracted the memory of the heat in his limbs. He turned his head so hispanions could see he wasn¡¯t dead. He winked at Eve and her eyes red with¡­ something. So many emotions rushed by in them he caught his breath.


    ¡°Get him on his feet,¡± First growled to the guards.


    Jack felt their hands grip his arms and he was pulled up to a standing position. His legs trembled but held. He kept his eyes on the floor and the guards stepped back.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been in contact with the Prime¡¯s ship. She¡¯s close and will arrive in two days¡¯ time. When she arrives there will be a grand celebration and the transfer of ownership willmence.¡± Jack detected a hitch in First¡¯s voice. Something about that transfer was bothering it. It might have been¡­ fear.


    ¡°Preparations aremencing rapidly now and the Allsa Komanae will be ready when our leader takes¡­ this throne.¡± Again, Jack heard the edge of fear. Something bad wasing for First or it thought so at least.


    There was a deep boom sound from behind the group. Jack was the only one to look over his shoulder to see the three Allsa Komanae running towards the throne. Jack felt a sh of mes over his body causing him to stagger before he regained his footing. It had seemed more like a distractedsh than firm discipline as First was staring angrily at the new intruders.


    ¡°What is it? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy?¡± First growled.


    The new three moved closer to the dais and the center took one more step. ¡°Apologies First. Second and Third are dead.¡±

 78

    ¡°WHAT?!?¡± First bellowed as it surged to its feet. Its voice, amplified by its position, shook the room and the upants.


    ¡°They reported for refreshing but¡­ the Prime Source has been poisoned. They died,¡± it said carefully.


    ¡°What¡­ did¡­ you¡­ say?¡± First spoke softly as it descended the dais steps towards the waiting center.


    ¡°They are dea-¡±


    ¡°NOT THAT PART!¡± First screamed into its hood.


    ¡°Ah- the- the Prime Source¡­ has been poisoned. Some kind of biological contaminant is spreading uncontrobly throughout the cloning chambers, boosted by the growth nutrient bath. It¡¯s reached critical levels¡­ we¡¯re unable to purge it! The contaminant is growing out of control, feeding off the nutrients and its by-products are poisoning the Prime Source biomass faster than we can- EEERRRKKZZZzzz!¡±


    First drove his fist through the head of the messenger who died immediately and dropped to the floor. The leader flicked clear the organic remains from its gloved hand and looked at it to make sure it was clean. It gestured to the other two to take the body away. They did so quickly and didn¡¯t stop moving until they exited the room with the corpse.


    ¡°Guards, take the ves back to the barracks.¡± When they moved to collect them First held up the hand which it had just used to killed the unfortunate messenger. ¡°Except Jack. Jack will stay here to have a little chat with me.¡±


    First¡¯s voice was cool and smooth and emotionless. Jack felt a cold sweat spring up over his body. He heard Eve make a noise but Jack shook his head minutely and Kekk gently guided her past. Ste watched him withrge worried eyes but he gave her a nod as she went by. Jack held still until he heard the door close on the far wall behind the throne.


    ¡°Would you care to say anything about thistest development Jack?¡±


    He kept his eyes on the floor and simply shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to find out. I simply need to speak to the guard-¡± First stopped talking when it realized the ones it had ordered to watch Jack were dead as were fifteen others. The only evidence, destroyed in the explosion.


    Jack found himself on the floor. His body ached like he¡¯d been punched from all sides at once. He moaned.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be this way Jack. Simply tell me what you did and I will send you back to the others.¡±


    Jack could hear the lie and justid still as his muscles trembled.


    There was a hesitant knock on the main doors.


    ¡°I¡¯M BUSY!¡± First screamed.


    ¡°Apologies, First. The Prime wishes to speak with you.¡±


    First made an involuntary sound. Jack thought it very much sounded like ¡®no¡¯ but he kept that observation to himself. He might just get out of this alive-


    Burning! Terrible, terrible heat ripped at his limbs, devouring his flesh and tearing screams from his body. Then it was over and Jacky panting and gasping on his back as his consciousness began to slip away.


    Before he slipped away he saw the dark hood of First peering down at him and heard its words.


    ¡°Put him into a containment cell in the sub-level. I¡¯ll deal with himter.¡±


    Then nothing.


    >>>>>>>


    Gee and Bal sat in Hellna¡¯s office sipping tea and eating sandwiches the staff had brought in for them. Themando squad had been escorted to the fitness facilities in the lower level to take showers and have their clothesundered.


    The Tik had powered down to maintenance level and were enjoying a trickle feed from the power outlet on the wall in the outer office.


    As they were finally alone Hellna did her debriefing with them while they ate and was pleased with their report.


    Gee was stuck with a feeling of futility she just couldn¡¯t shake.


    Hellna noticed her difort. ¡°Gee, what¡¯s on your mind? Speak freely.¡±


    ¡°We know who¡¯s responsible for Jack¡¯s abduction. We now know the secretwork of spies on Earth that are working against us and the best interests of Earth. We even know the Jack is likely on though we don¡¯t have its location. The Tik are now willing to open Gates for us to investigate. All of this is wonderful but to actually retrieve Jack it¡¯s not enough!¡± she growled in frustration and Hellna¡¯s eye brows went up in surprise.


    ¡°We are not warriors. Outside of agents like Bal and I that is but there aren¡¯t enough of us to win a battle like this!¡±


    The door opened and Queen Elissa walked in. ¡°My apologies for overhearing yourstment but I agree with you. Altarians are sadlycking in warriors. We are blessed with agents like you and Bal and rely upon you very heavily. I want to personally thank you for everything you have done so far and for what I will be asking of you in the near future. I¡¯m afraid your skills may be put to a very severe test.¡±


    Gee and Bal were on their hooves and smiled at the Queen. ¡°We are yours tomand.¡±


    Elissa smiled at them in return. ¡°Thank you. I have been working on something that will hopefully expedite our ¡®rescue mission¡¯. The Tik are fully supportive of our efforts to get Jack back. As long as the mission falls within those parameters we have their help.¡±


    Gee frowned. ¡°That may not be enough.¡±


    Elissa smiled enigmatically. ¡°You¡¯d be surprised what fits into those parameters.¡±N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Gee and Bal gave her a curious look.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say more until we have secured the assistance of our newest allies. You were right. We need more warriors-¡±


    At that moment Major Ash, Nann, Maxim, and Leo walked back into Hellna¡¯s office looking refreshed and alert.


    ¡°What better warriors to call upon than those from the other under attack by the Mahrell Drun? The rescue mission will be led by the Altarians but Earth will be represented¡­ if we can make them understand. What do you say Major? Can we make them understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but we are going to have to act fast. They killed Ray. They immediately discredited us. When I tried to contact someone I could trust in the military they tried to kill him. When we collected the cache they sent four Earth Security Forcemandos who firebombed an entire level of a building to stop us. They are escting their efforts to stop this information from getting out. I need to get this data to my contacts in the military so they can get it to the top levels of their governments. That¡¯s the only way the Earth Security Council will listen. If the messagees from their leaders.¡±


    ¡°Do we need to go back to Chuuruthia to contact Earth?¡± Gee asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to try contacting Brigadier General Rosseau¡¯s direct line from here. He contacted Chuuruthian Secretary of Defence Kressel with it after our initial call and I noted them ID so I should be able to reach him.¡±


    Hellna nodded and led the group over to the conference room where she set up the call on therge disy mounted on the wall. The Major gave her the contact details.


    The call went through and was picked up on the third ring. Voice only.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Rosseau¡¯s voice.


    ¡°General? This is Major Ash.¡±


    The screen flicked on and they could see the General with three other men. She recognized MacDenny and thought one was Thane but the fourth was new to her.


    Rosseau spotted the Altarians standing to the side and addressed them first.


    ¡°Greetings Queen Elissa, Minister of Security Hellna. I¡¯m Brigadier General Phillipe Rosseau of France. May I introduce Brigadier General Roger Thane of the USA, General Dwar Singh of India, and Colonel Duncan MacDenny of Canada.¡±


    The Major looked to Nann who was checking the new name against their list and rxed when Nann shook her head with a smile.


    The French General turned back to Cha¡¯Risa. ¡°What the hell is going on Major? First I hear of an attack at Ray¡¯s parent¡¯s ce in New York- don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re fine! Roger¡¯s people got there in time to pull them out,¡± he added to calm her dismay. ¡°Then there was a destructive chase through heavy traffic in an illegally modified truck, the rear cabin of which mysteriously disappeared when it crashed into a dead end alley. Next I hear you were spotted in Tokyo! A firebombing of a floor in a downtown hotel, three civilian deaths, and four Earth Security Forcemandos taken into custody. When my team got there they found the ones in custody weren¡¯t you and your team! Obviously you¡¯re using Gates but how are you getting past the heavy security that¡¯s been added to all Gate terminals?¡±


    ¡°We have assistance of the Tik sir.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going through the cargo terminals? They are under guard as well.¡± Thane spoke up.


    ¡°The Tik elders on Chuuruthia assigned us two Tik who are opening independent Gates for us,¡± the Major exined.


    ¡°Combined with the initial data you received regarding the Mahrell Drun, does not the direct support of the Tik lend credibility to our ims?¡± Queen Elissa asserted.


    ¡°It does for us.¡± Rosseau said and the other men nodded. He looked back to the Major.


    ¡°We tried to get to Ray¡¯s primary data cache in New York but the house was under surveince. We entered the house and spoke with his parents and a digital simcrum Ray created of himself. He- I mean it informed us there was insufficient time to get the cache and escape so he- gave us the next location, Tokyo, and helped us escape. We managed to get ess to the data cache Ray hid in the hotel in Tokyo. I retrieved the files and confirmed they were legitimately signed by the man. Most significantly, the files contained a list of names and a ledger of payments to these people. I¡¯d like to send the data to you. You need to get this to the leaders of your respective governments. If you could also get them to Colonel General Zutkov-¡± She saw Rosseau suddenly frown. ¡°What?¡±

 79

    ¡°Yuri was killed in a ¡®tragic hunting ident¡¯ this week. I¡¯d be interested to see if his sessor is named in this report you have.¡± Thane growled.


    ¡°The center of the web points to Ruan Steyn¡¯s executive secretary Avery Mansfeld. Steyn wasn¡¯t mentioned in either the contact list or the payout ledger but that may not exclude him from being involved. I am going to ship you the files now.¡±


    Rosseau nodded and prepared hism to ept the files. Nann started the transmission.


    As the files moved Rosseau addressed the group. ¡°What do you suggest is the next move?¡±


    Elissa stepped forward. ¡°You will need to begin the process of identifying and dealing with the Mahrell Drun¡¯s agents within your society. We will reopen trade with Earth the moment that has begun. While that is happening, before the Mahrell Drun have a chance to change their game we take direct steps to find their source and prevent further incursions. The Tik support the removal of the Prime while we attempt to rescue Jack.¡±


    ¡°That sounds very good but the Tik have been very clear on their refusal to allow us to use our Gates to move military forces between worlds. They are not for military use. To abuse this is to lose ess to thework entirely. That¡¯s not something we are willing to risk.¡±


    ¡°We will not be invading. We are on a rescue mission. The mission will be led by Altarians. As you know we are not an aggressive people and have no military forces of our own. We will not be attacking. We will be asking nicely for the return of our Ambassador and your Trade Commissioner to Altaria.¡±


    The four military leaders blinked at the Queen with confused expressions. Dwar cleared his throat and brushed his bushy mustache back from his mouth. ¡°Excuse me but they- may we be blunt and just say the Allsa Komanae for rity?¡± He received nods for this. ¡°They aren¡¯t going to just hand him over considering the efforts they made to capture him. Especially to such a polite and peaceful group as the Altarians.¡±N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Elissa nodded to him with a smile that made the men take notice. ¡°Indeed but I never said we¡¯d be going alone. We would wee assistance from our good friends.¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t invading so how many would be allowed to participate?¡± Rosseau asked carefully.


    ¡°Just a security detail to protect the peaceful Altarians. And as one of those Altarians will be me, a royal security detail should be reasonably expected to be in the range of no more than 100 highly trained¡­ security specialists.¡±


    Hellna¡¯s voice rose above the others protesting the Queen¡¯s involvement. Elissa just held up her hands until quiet was restored.


    ¡°It is non-negotiable and the only way the Tik will support us¡­ in the way they will,¡± the Queen said calmly.


    ¡°The Tik are going to allow us to walk 100 armed troops through a Gate onto Allsa One?¡± Thane said with a doubtful tone.


    ¡°Heaven¡¯s no! We will invite your security specialists to join us on Altaria. Then I will get us to Allsa One via an independent Gate. I cannot go into details at the moment but you may trust that we will arrive on the Allsa Komanae world as promised. We will also keep our promise to the Tik that we will not be an invading force. We will not im territory. We will notmit random and wanton acts of violence. We will address the local authorities to return Jack to us. How they respond to this will determine the course of action we may take. We will not leave without our Ambassador. We have proven to the Tik¡¯s satisfaction that the Allsa Komanae have kidnapped him. They will assist us in getting him back.¡± Queen Elissa watched the faces of the men on the screen. They all seemed determined to be involved in this mission. That was good. Keeping the number down to 100 was going to be their difficulty.


    ¡°General Rosseau, please be aware that the six of us,¡± Cha¡¯Risa gestured to her team and the two Altarian agents, ¡°are going to be counted in the 100.¡± The man measured her with his eyes then her teammates and finally nodded.


    ¡°We have the data, will review it now, and will get it to the people who need to see it as rapidly as possible. Expect a call from us within the next few hours. If the Mahrell Drun are as organized and mentally agile as you say, we agree that our best defence against them is a rapid response, not giving them time to adjust to their new situation. We¡¯ll have your ¡®security detail¡¯ assembled quickly.¡± Rosseau stated. With a final nod he broke the connection.


    Hellna looked at the Queen hesitantly. ¡°Would you care to tell us how we are going to get so many soldiers to Allsa One?¡±


    Elissa smiled enigmatically at her Minister of Security. ¡°It¡¯s been done before and we have friends with long memories.¡±


    >>>>>>


    ¡°FUCK!¡±


    Jack woke with a start and gasped as he looked down at his body. It seemed to be in one piece and wasn¡¯t a burnt cinder. The terrible burning sensation was gone and he felt¡­ fine. He looked around and saw he was in a small, square room which was open on one end. There was a water dispenser in the corner and what looked like a ce to ¡®dispose of wastes¡¯ as the Allsa Komanae put it. Other than that there was no furniture in the room.


    He stood up and walked towards the open end and saw something as he got closer to the opening. There was a slight orange glimmer over the space like a thin wall of light. Standing just inside it he felt an odd pushing sensation on his horns. It felt like something was pushing his head back and away from the opening. He carefully reached forward and-


    ¡°FUCK!¡±


    Jack danced back from the light wall shaking his fingers which tingled from the shock he¡¯d received.


    ¡°Everybody has to try that at least once,¡± said a voice from outside.


    ¡°Hello? Who¡¯s there?¡± Jack asked.


    There was a guttural rumbling with several clicks thrown in for fun. ¡°Can you pronounce that? No? How about Ghia?¡±


    Jack moved closer to the opening and peered across the dimly lit hall. There was another room like his and inside was¡­ someone like Kekk! ¡°Hello Ghia! I¡¯m Jack. Do you know someone named Kekk?¡±


    ¡°KEKK? How do you know that name?¡± was her excited reply. Jack got the impression that his fellow prisoner was female.


    ¡°I was confined to a building with him and some others just¡­ uh, how long have I been down here?¡± he said.


    ¡°Time is difficult to track in this unchanging ce but I believe it has been roughly a day. Kekk is my mate.¡±


    ¡°Ah! He isn¡¯t aware that you¡¯re here. He told me he had to return to you on your home.¡± Jack exined.


    ¡°I¡¯m leverage then. A means to control him,¡± she said contemtively.


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve been told the Prime selected us for unknown purposes,¡± Jack suggested.


    ¡°Oh, I know why my people were chosen. The Allsa Komanae need warriors. Our is within their area of control. They see us as a ve race of warriors. They intend to breed us and create their own armies.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ makes sense I guess. You are very physically intimidatingpared to them,¡± he offered.


    ¡°Except we aren¡¯t aggressive. We aren¡¯t suitable as warriors. Also, we have long gestation periods with just a single offspring and only go into heat once every four years. We breed too slowly for this n. They did not think that one through.¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t too bright when ites to biological processes. The Prime is supposed to be brilliant inparison.¡±


    ¡°Which means she will quickly determine we have no value in this n and will likely dispose of us. We must escape before that happens.¡±


    ¡°Uh, thest update I got was that the Prime was just two days out and you say I¡¯ve been here for one,¡± Jack replied.


    There was silence as Ghia absorbed this.


    Jack leaned closer to the light wall so he could see the other cells down the hall. That pushback was still forcing his horns away from the field but he leaned in ever so carefully as he thought he saw someone watching him from inside a cell just-


    SNAP!


    Jack¡¯s head was spinning and the short hairs all over his body were standing on end as a high pitched whine buzzed in his ears. He tilted his head up and discovered he was lying on the floor of the room halfway back from the light wall.


    He could just barely make out the sound of someone calling his name. He sat up and rubbed his arms to get the hairs to lie down. His tunic clung to him due to the static charge he¡¯d picked up.


    ¡°Jack! Can you hear me?¡± a faint voice called from across the hall. Ghia.


    He pushed himself to his feet and walked closer to the opening. He stayed back and peered across. She looked excited for some reason. The buzzing was finally settling down and his hearing wasing back.


    ¡°Wow! That force field really packs a punch!¡± he called out.


    ¡°Jack! That wasn¡¯t normal behavior for the force field! It gives painful shocks but not huge shes of light and certainly not a momentary weakening across all of the doors! What did you do?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, what did I do? I ignored the push back and got too close. It shocked me.¡±


    ¡°Push back? What are you talking about?¡± she asked eagerly.


    Jack blinked at her. ¡°The push back. When you get close to the field it pushes back.¡± Then he thought about that and it hadn¡¯t pushed his hand back. ¡°Well, it pushes my horns back.¡±


    She was looking at his horns. ¡°What are those shiny patches on your horns?¡±


    He reached up and yanked his fingers away as the silver was cold! ¡°GEEZUS! That¡¯s cold!¡± He looked across at Ghia. ¡°It¡¯s pure silver.¡±


    ¡°It reacted very strangely with the force field. The arc in your field caused ours to weaken momentarily. I believe if you struck your field hard enough with the silver you might overload the field and cause a massive electromaic pulse. We might all be able to exit from our cells.


    Jack looked across the hall at her excited expression and shook his head. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see what happened to me from just a small touch? It knocked me across the room on my ass and I passed out. It maypletely fry my brain if I hit it harder!¡±


    ¡°You said yourself. The Prime ising soon. She¡¯s smarter than the others. If we don¡¯t make an attempt now we may as well give up! Besides, the field will copse before it can do you any serious harm. You didn¡¯t see it dim like I did.¡± She paused as she thought of something. She looked towards the end of the hall. ¡°Come to think of it the Allsa Komanae will likely have noticed that fluctuation and are probably on their way to investigate. We have to move NOW!¡± Ghia insisted.

 80

    Jack had to admit he was seriously worried about what First was going to do to him since he poisoned their well of eternal youth. He heard a noise from the entrance.


    ¡°Wait! Hit it with everything you have when they get in front of your cell! When mine fails I will hit them from behind!¡± she whispered to him.


    Jack felt his nerves go on high alert. ¡°This is fucking crazy!¡± he muttered to himself nervously as he moved back to crouch down with his feet braced against the back wall. This would let himunch himself forward when he sprinted for the force field. He decided to leap at it so he wasn¡¯t touching the ground when he hit. Hopefully this would keep him from grounding the charge through his body.


    Motion caught his attention as the first Allsa Komanae began toe into view. Jack exploded up from his crouch and managed three hard steps before he flung himself like a flying missile at the field, horns first.


    Jack had his eyes tightly shut as he hit but he was still blinded by the enormous sh. A shock instantly ran through his body and the boom was deafening. He didn¡¯t lose consciousness but his senses were dulled for a short period.


    He became aware that he was lying stretched out on a concrete floor. It wasn¡¯t as smooth as his cell¡¯s floor so he was outside. He heard a quiet but high pitched warbling squeal nearby which was quickly silenced by deep concussive thumps. Then there was only silence.


    He opened his eyes but there was only ckness. He immediately panicked that he¡¯d blinded himself.


    ¡°Jack. Are you alright?¡±


    Ghia. Nearby.


    ¡°I- I think I might be blind,¡± he said, his voice trembling.


    ¡°There is no visible light since the st. All electrical systems are down. I can see in infrared so I can see enough to move around. I have¡­ finished killing the three who came in. The st cut right through them. It was wondrous to see! I¡¯ve checked but none of the devices they carry seem to be working. The EMP seems to have been muchrger than I calcted.¡± Jack felt her gentle touch as she lifted him to his feet.


    SNAP!


    ¡°Ouch!¡± Ghia yelped as she got a shock from Jack. He was ted as he¡¯d seen the bright blue spark. It meant his eyes still worked.


    ¡°Sorry. I picked up a bit of a charge from that burst,¡± he said trying to get his footing. There was something on the floor near his feet.


    ¡°You are kicking a dead guard.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Can you lead me out of here?¡± he asked and she guided him past the bodies.


    They stopped again and he felt Ghia turning.


    ¡°We are leaving. You may join us.¡±


    ¡°I cannot see.¡± A deep voice said from Jack¡¯s left. It sounded like a Grellian.


    ¡°I can and I will lead you and Jack out but we must move quickly.¡± Ghia said.


    ¡°Jack?¡± the Grellian asked.


    ¡°Hi. That¡¯s me,¡± Jack said into the darkness.


    ¡°He¡¯s the one who freed us. May I touch your hand?¡± Ghia asked.


    The Grellian made an odd groaning sound.


    Jack recognized the Grellian¡¯s anxiety about touching a lesser species. He didn¡¯t have time for this. ¡°You may scrub yourself with sand once we get out of this dark ce. Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Ghia positioned Jack and held his arm reaching backwards. He got the idea as he left it there until he felt the hard ting of the Grellian¡¯s hand in his. More groaning. Ghia pulled on his hand and he pulled on the Grellians and they made their way forward quickly. The door must have been open as he felt a little breeze. Ghia increased her pace and he pulled the struggling being behind him as they encountered a ramp.


    ¡°We are going to move very quickly and quietly now as we must reach the top of the ramp to get to the ground level. We will stop at the top. Be ready.¡±


    Jack kept a tight grip on both hands and realized if they all collided at the top due to their size he was going to be the gooey center.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Then he saw it. Light. There was light near the top of the ramp. He heard the Grellian¡¯s sigh over its heavy breathing as they didn¡¯t typically move this fast. The group slowed and came to a stop. The Grellian yanked its hand free of Jack¡¯s. He released Ghia¡¯s hand and they listened for voices. Nothing.


    Ghia pushed through the door quietly and there was a twitching Allsa Komanae on the floor. She stomped on its hood and there was a quiet squelch sound and it went still.


    ¡°Not warriors eh?¡± Jack whispered and Ghia looked back at him in surprise then smiled.


    They moved down the hall and came to a T intersection. The lights were off in either direction but to the left they could hear the hiss and squeal of upset Allsa Komanae. To the right was heat, smoke, and the acidic tang of burning electronics. The fire seemed to be growing so it wasn¡¯t safe to move that way. To go the other way meant encountering Allsa Komanae and these ones sounded alert.


    ¡°There is no other way to go. I wish we knew how many we were facing,¡± Ghia said.


    ¡°Four. There are four,¡± offered the Grellian. Jack looked up at the grey skinned being. Its tunic was torn and dirty. It had taken a beating but it looked like it wanted to give one now.


    ¡°You feel like getting a little payback?¡± Jack grinned at it.


    ¡°What is payback?¡±


    ¡°Beating on some Allsa Komanae,¡± Jack rified.


    ¡°Yes. I want that,¡± it said in a deadpan tone.


    Jack rolled his eyes and looked over at Ghia. ¡°How about you and I run in at full speed and hit as many as we can while our friend herees in to surprise them from behind.¡±


    ¡°I am not your friend.¡±


    Jack scowled at the big grey dolt. ¡°For now we have amon enemy. That makes us temporary friends.¡±


    It looked back at Jack with a frown on its stony face.


    ¡°That sounds like a n. I wish I had a weapon though,¡± she sighed. The Grellian suddenly walked back down the hall towards the ramp. Ghia and Jack looked at each other. Was it going back to its cell?


    A momentter it returned. It handed Ghia something and they discovered it was the arm of the Allsa Komanae on the floor. The Grellian had ripped it free. It was mostly free of organic bits. Mostly.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Ghia said to it.


    ¡°What about me?¡± Jack asked.


    The Grellian stared at him then reached up, plucked the metal caps from Jack¡¯s horns and handed them to him.


    ¡°How? How did you get them off?¡± Jack gasped.


    ¡°They were loose. I simply pulled them free,¡± it exined slowly as if speaking to an idiot.


    Jack sighed. ¡°Thank you.¡± He looked at Ghia. ¡°Let¡¯s do this before I lose my nerve.¡± He put one of the weighted caps in each hand. Extra weight for his punch.


    With a final nod to hispanions Jack began to run down the hall. He picked up speed until he was running full out. He was leaving Ghia behind but he wanted all of his kic energy avable when he reached the Allsa Komanae.


    He spotted the group and luck was with him. They were standing at the entrance but were turned 90 degrees from the corridor opening so none of them was watching his rapid approach. As it had worked so spectacrly on the force field Jackunched himself into the cluster of three head first. The impact jarred his neck but the horrified screams of the Allsa Komanae made it all worthwhile as he tumbled over the three he knockedpletely off their feet.


    The one he¡¯d hit directly was never getting up again. The next in line was badly hurt but struggling to get free. The third one was iling wildly at him from the floor. Jack grabbed its arm and used the momentum to pull himself to his feet. The fourth Allsa Komanae wasing at Jack from behind and didn¡¯t see Ghia burst out of the corridor and swing the arm at its hood.


    ¡°Down!¡± she cried.


    Jack dropped as the Allsa Komanae¡¯s fist swung at the back of this head. It ended up punching the now exposed tip of Jack¡¯s horn. The fist fragmented on the ultra-sharp, ultra-dense point just as Ghia¡¯s makeshift club broke the head in the hood. She had to leap to avoid running into the group and sailed over and past the fallen Allsa Komanae. Jack heard the heavy thump of the running Grellian so he threw himself to the side as it rushed out of the darkened hallway. It charged right over the hooded figures on the ground and stomped them to shards and paste.


    When it was done it stepped free of the carnage and looked at Jack. ¡°Payback is good.¡±


    Jack recognized the room they were in and knew how to get back to the barracks from here.


    ¡°We can get to Kekk and the others through there!¡± Jack said. He led the way as the three exited the building and after a quick look to make sure the coast was clear they raced across the open courtyard. It was dusk out and there were no lights for as far as they could see. In the distance they could hear screams of fear and rage as well as the muted noise of fighting with whatever weapons could be found. The ves were taking their revenge and bloodlust was being sated.


    The barracks doors were locked. Jack looked close at the mechanism and saw it needed power to keep the maic bolts from mming into ce. He found a mechanical lever to reset it but he didn¡¯t have the strength to break the ma¡¯s pull. The Grellian reached past him and mmed the lever down, popping the lock and preventing its reuse.


    Jack carefully pulled the door open. ¡°Kekk!¡± he called out.


    ¡°Jack?¡±

 81

    ¡°JACK!¡± yelled two female voices simultaneously from inside. He couldn¡¯t keep the grin from his face as he pushed inside and felt two soft bodies press up against him tightly.


    He heard a surprised guttural rumbling with several clicks and realized Kekk had seen his mate. Jack saw them press their cheeks together.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Kekk asked as he looked over.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Jack replied.


    ¡°The electromaic pulse overloaded themunications center which was housed in the Prime¡¯s pce above the detention centre. When it exploded it took out thework administration center which was on the next floor up. The fire in the pce is out of control and has taken out the power grid to the entire city. The power utilities center is in a building adjoining the pce and is now on fire as well. Without these systems in ce the discipline cors can¡¯t be activated.¡±


    Everyone looked at the Grellian who finished exining and was looking around the barracks.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°How do you know all this?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s what the Allsa Komanae were saying before we killed them,¡± it said calmly as it continued scoping out the room.


    ¡°You can understand theirnguage?¡± Jack said in surprise.


    The Grellian stopped and looked at Jack. ¡°Yes, I can understand the Allsa Komanaenguage. That is how I learned these things,¡± it said slowly. Jack gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Where is Joseph?¡± he asked in a sudden panic.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s sleeping. We received more food for him and just fed him before the power went out,¡± Eve said looking up at him.


    ¡°What caused the EMP?¡± Kekk asked.


    ¡°Ghia suggested I hit the force field on my cell with my horns as the silver on them reacted with the energy of the barrier. It worked better than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Ghia, this is Eve and Ste. Ladies, this is Ghia, Kekk¡¯s mate.¡± He looked to the Grellian who wandered away to the bathing area. Obviously no introductions needed there.


    Eve was looking at Jack. ¡°You¡¯re responsible for this?¡±


    ¡°identally. I just wanted to get us out of our cells before First came back to torture me for poisoning the Prime Source or whatever it is.¡± Jack¡¯s head whipped to look in the direction the Grellian walked. ¡°Wait a minute! He said thework is down! I was told the cors would stun us unconscious then explode after a time if we left thework! Thework being down should have triggered it!¡±


    They all looked at each other in silence.


    ¡°Huh. I guess that was a lie.¡± Jack huffed with a scowl.


    ¡°Do you realize what it means that the Prime Source is gone?¡± Eve asked him. He shook his head.


    ¡°It means it is very likely they are all going to die. There is no longer a way to rece their degenerating organic matter in a timely manner. They will also no longer be able to use Gates as that elerates their decay. Not without a fresh source of poison free Prime gic material.¡±


    ¡°Like you¡¯d find in, say, a Prime?¡± Jack guessed.


    ¡°Yes. She would have to donate a portion of her organic mass to be cloned. They will likely need to rece the entire cloning facility as the slightest amount of contaminant could ruin the new biomass. The problem is it takes time to clone organic matter. They can¡¯t do it fast enough to reach the quantity they had before which is required to support the current poption of Allsa Komanae. Most are going to degenerate before the cloned tissue is ready for use.¡±


    Kekk and Ghia were looking at Jack in stunned admiration. He was feeling more than a little ill.


    ¡°Are- are you saying I¡¯m responsible for genocide?¡± he wheezed as his knees began to wobble. He suddenly recalled his rage filled wish when Beth died for all of the Allsa Komanae to die for that.


    Ste and Eve guided him over to a bench and sat with him.


    Eve patted his hand. ¡°There is still a chance for the Prime to save them. But she will be starting from a very small pool. I believe the Allsa Komanae are really just clones but iplete pieces of a Prime whose entire biomass was given over to keep them alive. Likely until this other Prime was able to rejoin them. They can¡¯t mate. They are only clones. How the Prime intends to expand their empire I don¡¯t know.¡±


    It was getting too dark inside the barracks to see. The food processors were out. They had theponents to make the nutrient paste but without power they had no food. From the soundsing from the bathing area they still had ess to water.


    The Allsa Komanae on the were going to be pissed at thistest insurrection so they needed to n how they were going to survive.


    Jack sighed. He couldn¡¯t forget the matter of the Prime¡¯s imminent arrival. Wasn¡¯t that going to add a whole new dimension of fun to their current situation.


    >>>>>>


    When the truth came out on Earth the witch hunt began. No one trusted humans who sold out their people to aliens. It may not be politically correct but that¡¯s how the monkey brain of the Human species worked.


    The list identified the first series of targets. Unfortunately, Avery Mansfeld was in the wind. He¡¯d obviously nned his escape very carefully and made tracks shortly after his workstation had been hacked. He saw the writing on the wall and exited through a Gate, with assistance, to worlds unknown.


    He failed to warn any of the others so when the authorities swooped in to collect the offworld spies there were a lot of surprised and angry conspirators. Colonel General Zutkov¡¯s recement was indeed on the list and fell victim to his own hunting ident. How he managed to fall on his serrated edge hunting knife so many times was a mystery no one seemed to be in a hurry to solve.


    The Generals and the Colonel made good on their promise to deliver the security specialists. Queen Elissa was informed that the troops would being through the Gate within the next few hours.


    First through was Rosseau¡¯s toon of twentybat hardened soldiers. They set up on thewn of the Altarian Ministry of Security. The leader of this group was a man by the name of Colonel Thierry Bertillon and he introduced himself to the Queen and gave her an update on their status.


    Thane sent along a SEAL troop,prised of eight five man teams. There had been quite a surge of interest from the SEAL¡¯s when the mission was first mentioned as this was the rarest of opportunities. They fell in next to Rosseau¡¯s group and their leader, Commander Jon Sinir, joined the Queen.


    General Singh arrived with his Indian Gorkhas, twenty two battle trained and seasoned soldiers. They were closely followed by Colonel MacDenny who had decided to lead his own group of ten handpicked specialists. Singh and MacDenny made their way over to the Queen.


    With Gee and Bal, the Major and her three teammates Queen Elissa had their 100 ¡®security specialists¡¯.


    Two ancient Tik made their way over to Queen Elissa¡¯s group. They waved at Nann who blushed in recognition. They had small boxes bolted to their dented sides.


    ¡°Hello, I am Socrates and this is to. We understand you are ready to embark upon your rescue mission for Ambassador Jack Danner?¡± Its voice came from the added on box.


    ¡°Yes. We are ready. I wish to thank you once more for your assistance in this matter,¡± Elissa said with a bow.


    to raised a tentacle. ¡°When you reach your ultimate destination please determine if there are others who are in the same situation as Ambassador Danner. We have recently been reminded of an ancient Earth phrase, ¡®Where there is smoke, there is cake-¡±


    ¡°No! It¡¯s ¡±Where there is smoke, there is fire¡¯!¡± Socrates growled.


    ¡°Ah¡­ yes, that makes more sense. Fire. My point is if Jack Danner was kidnapped maybe others who we have noted the disappearance of are there as well.¡±


    ¡°We will make every effort to rescue those who have fallen victim to such activities,¡± Elissa promised.


    Commander Sinir looked over the amassed fighters and their gear and shook his head. ¡°Pardon my skepticism but I still don¡¯t understand how we are going to safely walk all of these ¡®security specialists¡¯ through a Gate to our destination without being picked off as we enter. It¡¯s a choke point!¡±


    Socrates turned to the Commander. ¡°Who said you would be walking?¡± It whistled to two waiting silver Tik who promptly opened a small Gate and disappeared through it.


    Singh looked at the Gate and back to the Tik. ¡°I believe that Gate is much too small.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. How about this one?¡± to gestured upwards towards the end of the field.


    The group looked upwards as a huge ripple appeared in the sky. From their angle it just appeared as a slightly darker square of blue sky until they realized it was a mirrored Gate reflecting the sky above them. The scope of the Gate was beyond any they¡¯d seen before. Even thergest Cargo Gates was dwarfed by this gargantuan portal.


    ¡°That is certainlyrge enough!¡± Singh muttered.


    ¡°But it¡¯s 500 metres up in the sky!¡± Sinir noted.


    ¡°Humans are an impatient race.¡± Socrates sighed.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± to agreed.


    Something appeared in the center of the mirror and grew as whatever it was moved towards them from the other side of the Gate. Once the sharp points of many sensor antennae were through the square structure they were mounted on pushed through the mirror surface. Then a wider square structure supporting the first. Then another, each wider than the previous.


    ¡°It- it looks like a building! On its side?¡± MacDenny asked.


    Still the massive structure pushed through, ever widening though no longer in a steady progression of stacked squares. Now the surface was curved as it grew ever wider. The structure was throwing a massive shadow over the field below. When it reached its maximum width the Gate was just a few dozen feet wider. Then they spotted wide rectangr openings begin along the lower edges on the sides and its true purpose became clear atst. It was a ship! It was a flying¡­ carrier!


    And it was utterly silent.


    ¡°Oh my god. How- how is something so vast staying aloft?¡± Cha¡¯Risa gasped.


    Socrates moved forward to address the group. ¡°Gravity field generators. Like you use in your vehicles and the Tik use for mobility only these are truly massive. This is the sister ship from a fleet of two. It is much smaller than its sibling. We call it the de of Reason. We renamed it as the original name only made sense to the species whomissioned it. We have brought this ship out of storage for the explicit use of Queen Elissa and her security detail for this rescue mission. It is manned by Tik who have been trained to operate it. It will not function for anyone else and it will go back into storage once this mission isplete. Is this understood?¡±

 82

    The awestruck humans just nodded.


    ¡°Is it going to¡­nd?¡± MacDenny asked with a lump in his throat as the ship continued to arrive through the Gate. The end began to taper in so they could now get a true picture of just how colossal the ship was.


    ¡°No. There will be shuttles to bring the personnel and equipment up to the ship. They will arrive momentarily,¡± Socrates said.


    ¡°Aside from the sheer power of its presence does it carry any offensive or defensive armament? It¡¯s a pretty big target floating in the sky.¡± Sinir asked.


    ¡°It is well protected and can deliver its own punch should that be necessary. As you have so urately noted its presence was often enough to settle disputes,¡± to answered.


    They could see dozens of small tbed personnel carriers flying out of the bays along the lower edge. They swung wide andnded on the field not far from the military personnel.


    ¡°It is time to hit road surface!¡± to called out.


    ¡°Hit the road!¡± Socrates corrected.


    ¡°That is what I said!¡± to barked back.


    The officers left to organize their group¡¯s boarding the small carriers to get up to the ship.


    One of the carriersnded next to the Queen¡¯s group and the two Tik originally assigned to the Major¡¯s team floated over to them.


    ¡°We havepleted our original mission. We would like to ask if you could give us names now,¡± the one they knew as ¡®four-oh-one¡¯ asked. The Major recognized it from a distinct scratch on its side that it received when it got stuck in the food wagon.


    ¡°Lapsha!¡± Maxim leaned forward to blurt.


    Leo pointed to its partner which¡­ still had the kitten, now sleeping, in its coiled tentacle. ¡°Neko.¡±


    ¡°Thank you! These are excellent names! We have also brought you the one you named Ray. It wishes to join the mission.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Cha¡¯Risa gasped.


    A shiny silver Tik which had approached from behind the other two hovered closer and waved a tentacle.


    ¡°Hello Major.¡± The voice was unmistakably Ray¡¯s.


    ¡°How¡­ how can this be¡­¡± Nann mumbled as she looked at her shocked reflection on the side of the new Tik.


    ¡°Ah yes, well¡­ it seems my ¡®clever little AI algorithm¡¯ might have been far more clever than I thought. I came to the attention of the Tik on Earth as they are insatiably curious about all forms of life. My algorithm actually achieved a significant level of sentience. The copy I maintained and nurtured for years and finally activated with the final update was¡­ me, but it wasn¡¯t stable. It would have rapidly disintegrated over the next few months. It wouldn¡¯t have been pretty. They offered me a chance to live. Of course I said yes! The Tik transferred me to the one form of body that could sustain my new non-corporeal being.¡± He gestured to his new chrome body. ¡°What¡¯s really weird though is how natural this feels. I didn¡¯t have to learn how to use my new body.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really you?¡± Cha¡¯Risa asked quietly.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s really me¡­ but not the same me that was in my physical body.¡± Ray exined.


    ¡°Geezus Ray! You found a way to cheat death!¡± Nann asked.


    ¡°No! The Tik examined my algorithm and couldn¡¯t find how it instantiated life. I¡¯ve looked at it as well and I have to agree. On its own it shouldn¡¯t have done what it did. I¡¯m d it did but I don¡¯t know how to duplicate it. I- I thought it was just a clever copy. Besides the Tik won¡¯t transfer Human lives into Tik bodies even if they knew how. It would lessen the value on Human life.¡±


    Themandos moved forward to touch their fallenrade.


    ¡°Shall we board the ship?¡± Lapsha said to the group gesturing towards the shuttle.


    The Major, wiping a tear from her eye roughly, leaned in towards Maxim to speak quietly. ¡°Lapsha?¡±


    ¡°Is Russian for ¡®Noodles¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Queen Elissa followed Socrates and to and climbed onto the tbed surface to walk up to the front by the driver¡¯s cab. The rest followed though Hellna remained on thewn, a nervous look on her face. Elissa smiled down at her friend.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fret Hellna. I¡¯m in the best of care. I will see you soon.¡±


    Hellna just smiled and nodded though the worry never left her eyes.


    The shuttle lifted and moved closer to the army personnel where it settled down again. MacDenny, Singh, Sinir and Bertillon boarded and moved up to speak with the Queen. The shuttle lifted once more and rose up towards the de of Reason. The Gate near its tail end had finally closed so it was nowpletely in Altarian space.


    The shuttle passengers were struck speechless as the enormous vessel appeared to grow more unfathomably huge as they approached. Their minds were telling them it couldn¡¯t be. Nothing so massive and solid should be floating quietly in the sky pretending to be just another cloud.


    They passed through a gentle energy field at thending bay entrance and the shuttle moved well inside the bay before itnded by arge door leading inside the ship. Lapsha shut down the shuttle and they disembarked. Neko acted as their guide and led the group to the bridge. Vast disys encircled the chamber giving 360 degrees of visibility in all directions.


    Socrates approached the Queen. ¡°All of your security people have boarded. What is our destination?¡±


    ¡°Allsa One. The hub world for the Allsa Komanae. We will speak to the leader there to confirm the current location of our Ambassador. We will also find the coordinates of the Allsa Komanae home world,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Will we be putting boots on the ground there?¡± Sinir asked.


    Queen Elissa turned to the man. ¡°It will depend on how cooperative the Allsa Komanae are when we politely ask our questions. I don¡¯t expect them to be cooperative at all so we should have a team ready to do rapid strikes to obtain certain intelligence targets. Namely the Allsa One leaders. Collecting the coordinates for the home world will be a challenge. We know they use space travelling jump ships to fly between Allsa One and the home world. We will need a team to take control of the spaceport. Nothing gets off the ground. The coordinates to the home world will be known to the pilots. If the leadership of Allsa One does not provide us with this information securing a pilot for interrogation will be required. We will also need to disable theirmunications center so they don¡¯t warn the home world.¡±


    She turned to a nearby Tik. ¡°May we have the map of Allsa One¡¯s capital on the disy?¡±


    One of the huge screens filled with a map of the capital city.


    ¡°Please highlight the Administrative Offices,¡± she asked the Tik.


    A long rectangr building near the center of the city lit up. ¡°This is where the leaders will be. There will be three of them with staff.¡±


    Sinir looked at the other officers. ¡°Half of my group will collect these targets. The others will assist Bertillon¡¯s group with the spaceport.¡±


    Elissa looked to the Tik once more. ¡°Highlight the spaceport next please.¡±


    This facility was on the outer edge of the map. Isted from the city by a row of forested hills. There was a terminal building, administrative offices, threeunch cradles and a vast cargo port.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°My team will take the spaceport,¡± Bertillon stated and looked at Sinir. ¡°Your teams will take the ships.¡± The Commander nodded.


    ¡°Colonel, my team and I would like to apany you and your people as well,¡± Major Ash requested and received a nod from the man.


    ¡°The Communications Center, please.¡± The Tik switched the highlight to a building opposite the Gate Terminal.


    ¡°Myds will take this target offline.¡± MacDenny grinned.


    ¡°My ds¡¯ will protect the Queen.¡± Singh finished.


    ¡°We will arrive, make our request for the location of the Ambassador and once they refuse to answer, we will take the steps I just described. We must be prepared to move quickly. Now, Allsa One will have citizens of other worlds on it. Only the Allsa Komanae are to be targeted unless defensive fire is required. Is that understood?¡± Queen Elissa said and received nods from the men. ¡°The Allsa Komanae restrict off-world visitors to the Gate Terminus, the Administrative Offices and themerce buildings which are all within a two block radius of the Gate Terminus. Beyond that perimeter encountering a non-Allsa Komanae would be unexpected and the only non-Allsa Komanae at the spaceport will be kidnapping victims.¡±


    She looked into the eyes of each person standing before her. ¡°How we do here will directly affect our sess when we reach the home world. We must strike hard and fast.¡±


    She gestured to the Tik who had been helping her. ¡°Get a copy of the map, brief your teams on their objectives and let me know when you are ready.¡± More nods and they began to move towards the Tik. General Singh paused and looked back at the Queen.


    ¡°When we arrive like a harbinger of doom in their skies what if they choose a pre-emptive attack. We saw how long it took this ship to get through its Gate.¡± Singh advised.


    ¡°If they choose to attack the ship the Tik assure me we are allowed to use the ship¡¯s considerable armament to suppress that fire. I¡¯m told we only need to be 10% through the Gate to use the first and most destructive of these weapons. ¡±


    That seemed to satisfy them. They received the map in theirms and left to speak with their teams.


    The Major and her team were still on the bridge with Queen Elissa so she turned to them. ¡°While I¡¯m trying to get the location of the home world from their leaders I want you to concentrate on these¡­ space pilots. We need those coordinates!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re on it,¡± the Major said.


    The two elder Tik approached the group after conferring with the Tik who operated the ship. ¡°We are ready.¡±


    Gee pulled a package from an inner pocket and handed it to Queen Elissa. ¡°This is from Hellna. She would like you to wear it while you are on this mission.¡±


    Elissa took the tissue paper wrapped bundle and opened it. Inside was a white gauzy garment much like the ones worn by Gee and Bal except longer and it had a wide hood. She looked at it in surprise.

 83

    ¡°It¡¯s protection against projectile and energy weapons and the hood will not impair your peripheral vision¡¯s motion detection. Seal the hood and you have a five minute supply of breathable air and it¡¯s fire resistant. Additionally, it¡¯s proven to psychologically intimidate Allsa Komanae,¡± Gee continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s also lovely,¡± she said as she pulled it on.


    ¡°Regal!¡± Major Ash said as she smiled. The Queen answered her smile with a twinkle in her eyes. ¡°We¡¯re going to join Colonel Bertillon¡¯s group so we¡¯ll be ready when we get there.¡±


    Bal stepped up to Maxim and handed him a small metal box. ¡°Seeds. Make sure those ships never fly again.¡± Maxim nodded and grinned widely at Bal who gave him the hint of a smile.


    Once the team left with Lapsha and Neko in their wake it was just the Queen, Gee and Bal, and the two senior Tik on the bridge with the Tik operating the ship. The disys had returned to showing them the 360 degree view of Altaria.


    Small windows appeared on the disy for each of the military leaders. Each reported the readiness of their teams. The Queen acknowledged this and nodded to Socrates. The order was given and an enormous Gate snapped into ce before the ship.


    ¡°Take us forward. Battle speed.¡± Socrates called out.


    There was no impression of motion but the ground below the ship began moving and they floated towards the huge mirror, touched it and began to slip through.


    ¡°I estimate we are moving three times faster than the ship was originally moving when it arrived on Altaria.¡± Gee said watching the screen carefully.


    ¡°Two point seven eight times faster to be precise,¡± to corrected.


    The disys pointing forward began to show an entirely different world. The sun was in itste afternoon position on Allsa One where it was high noon on Altaria.


    ¡°We are picking up chatter from below. They have definitely noticed our arrival. We have iing.¡±


    ¡°Neutralize it,¡± Socrates ordered.


    There was a slight thump sound and the missile suddenly stopped like it struck a solid wall. The crushed rocket exploded ineffectively as it tumbled back to the ground.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°Target the source of that missile,¡± the senior Tik said.


    ¡°Two Allsa Komanae atop a roof overlooking the main square. Reloading their weapon.¡±


    ¡°Queen Elissa, your orders?¡±


    ¡°Taking them out might put innocent citizens at risk.¡±


    Sinir piped up. ¡°We could take the target out with a sniper round once we are in range.¡±


    ¡°Do it.¡± Elissa ordered.


    The ship was now a third of the way through the Gate over the capital city and it was attracting plenty of attention. Skimmers were rising from thend below to fly towards the ship. The drivers and the passengers were pointing weapons out the windows of the vehicles.


    ¡°Is there a safe way to ground those skimmers? I don¡¯t want them falling onto the people below.¡± Elissa asked.


    ¡°Take out the drivers. The vehicles will automatically return to the ground if they are unmanned.¡± Gee suggested.


    ¡°These are your immediate sniper targets Commander Sinir.¡±


    ¡°Acknowledged.¡±


    They watched the screen as skimmer after skimmer suddenly stopped their ascent and began gently descending. A few brave or foolhardy passengers pushed their dead drivers from the vehicles and attempted to continue rising. These new drivers quickly joined theirpatriots. Soon all of the skimmers were settling to the ground.


    A second thump. ¡°Second iing missile destroyed.¡±


    Almost simultaneously the disy showed the two Allsa Komanae on the rooftop flying to pieces as multiple sniper rounds intersected their bodies.


    ¡°Targets eliminated,¡± Sinir confirmed needlessly.


    ¡°Thank you Commander.¡±


    The ship was almostpletely through the Gate and it was time for Elissa to speak to the ¡®powers-that-be¡¯ on the¡¯s surface. ¡°Broadcast on all frequencies, please.¡±


    With a gesture from Socrates Elissa began.


    ¡°This is Queen Elissa of Altaria. Under my authority the de of Reason has entered the airspace above Allsa One¡¯s capital city. We are not here for conquest. We are here for our Ambassador Jack Danner who was kidnapped by parties under the orders of the Allsa Komanae. You have thirty seconds to respond to this message or we will take steps to locate him ourselves.¡± She nodded and the signal was cut. They listened for a response but the chatter quickly tapered off into silence.


    The Queen watched the clock counting down and at three seconds there was a crackle as a signal from the Administrative Office responded.


    ¡°This is First of Allsa One. You will leave our airspace immediately. We will be filing a war crime grievance with-¡±


    The Queen looked at her military support. ¡°Proceed with your objectives.¡±


    They quickly nodded and left to join their men. Soon shuttles were rushing out of thending bays and racing down to the¡¯s surface. First¡¯s transmission appeared to bing from his office in the Administrative building. The SEAL teams brought their shuttles down close to the entrances and they rushed inside.


    Bertillon¡¯s shuttles and those carrying the second half of the SEAL teams rushed off towards the spaceport as MacDenny¡¯s two shuttles shot almost vertically downwards towards the Communications Center at breakneck speed.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they going a little fast?¡± Queen Elissa asked and listened to their feed. ¡°Is- is thatughter?¡±


    Something was ejected from the gravity field on both open tbeds. The field kept everyone and everything in ce during maneuvers such as their nosedive. Once the objects were outside the fields they became gravity fed missiles dropping right for the rooftop antennae array of the Communications Center. The shuttles rapidly pulled away from these projectiles and swung wide in a loop to bring them in fast to the building¡¯s front entrance just as the satchel bombs took out the antennae. Grinning andughing like maniacs the team rushed straight into the building amidst the chaos.


    The shuttles heading for the spaceport had dropped down behind the ridge and visibility wasn¡¯t so good due to some low level clouds trapped by the ridge. Of course it also shielded the shuttles from being spotted as they rushed towards their target.


    Queen Elissa held her breath for her new friends. It had to be frightening to be rushing into battle like that!


    Maxim and Leo were grinning happily as they readied their weapons. The cloak and dagger stuff of hunting down the data cache wasn¡¯t really their forte. Kicking some Allsa Komanae butt, now that they could do! Nann hid her smile at their acting like two kids in the candy store and gave them a scowl when they noticed her attention.


    ¡°Are you school kids or soldiers! Wipe those smiles off your faces and stay frosty! This is as hostile an environment as we are going to get aside from the home world. Allsa Komanae hate humans. They want us dead and now that we¡¯re here on their turf they want us dead twice over,¡± she barked and the two men quickly cleared their expressions and nodded.


    Nann turned back to the Major who was checking her own weapon with a satisfied smile on her lips. ¡°Not you too!¡± Nann grumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯m excited too!¡± Ray said.


    ¡°Do you even have a weapon?¡± Nann asked.


    ¡°My brain!¡± Ray eximed.


    Nann rolled her eyes. ¡°Ugh, he¡¯s worse than he was when he was flesh and bone.¡±


    ¡°No! Really! My brain feels like it¡¯s a zillion times faster and I don¡¯t need to type anymore! I can talk directly to any machine!¡±


    ¡°Are you going to think the enemy to death? What will you do when they shoot at you? You¡¯re not bullet proof are you?¡± she growled.


    ¡°With all these soldiers running around with weapons, they won¡¯t even notice one little Tik! You just keep an eye on your own fleshy butt.¡±


    Nann stopped and slowly turned to face the new Tik. ¡°Did you just call my ass fat?¡± Nann asked quietly.


    ¡°What? No! I didn¡¯t! I swear I said nothing of the sort!¡± Ray sputtered, waving his tentacles in a cating way.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I heard him say.¡± Cha¡¯Risa said looking at Nann. Ray spun to look at the Major then back to the indignant redhead.


    ¡°Pretty cheeky for a voice in a tin can!¡± Nann growled.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean-¡± Ray stopped when he detected Nann¡¯s belly shaking from her suppressedughter.


    ¡°Oh¡­ really funny. A millionughs. It¡¯s gang up on Ray day again is it?¡± he growled.


    The Major had a tear in her eye as she patted the side of her friend¡¯s new ¡®body¡¯. ¡°It¡¯s really nice to have you back again Ray,¡± she said.


    Nann smiled and nodded. It was really nice but they wereing in hot and it was time to put everything else aside. She caught the Major¡¯s eyes and saw the same look in them. She scowled at her Russians and saw Ray was facing the base.


    ¡°Colonel! Gun emcements in the towers near the front gates.¡± Ray said using his superior vision to spot them. Bertillon spoke to someone on hism and muzzle shes could be seen from the shuttle next to theirs. The gate towers blossomed into tworge fireballs.


    ¡°Looks like they just found out we areing in. Major Ash, is your team with me or are you going after the ships.¡±


    ¡°The ships, sir.¡±


    ¡°Colonel Bertillon. I can see more long rangemunication antennae on the far side of the administration buildings. They will need to be taken out.¡± Ray called out. The Colonel spoke into hism once more and two of their shuttles elerated to reach the far side of the building as they reached the front entrance. The shuttles with the SEAL teams began peeling off to head for the ships. They were leaving the closest ship for the Major and her team.


    Bertillon¡¯s men picked off the few guards foolish enough to start shooting back.


    The moment the shuttles touched down the troops were on the ground and running.


    Maxim and Leo took point as they circled the building. Ray shot off to the right so they others let him go. They couldn¡¯t keep up if they wanted to anyway.

 84

    They got to the far corner of the building and peered around to see their target. The ship was on theunch cradle and it looked like there was a crew of Allsa Komanae scrambling to get it fueled for take-off.


    Nann pulled her sniper rifle from her pack and snapped the long barrel onto it. She quickly calibrated the scope then in rapid session took out the three men manning the hoses and the one operating the fueling truck.


    They heard a rumbling behind them and saw two cargo trains skimming past them on the way to the ship. The one closest to them slowed down.


    ¡°Major! Get everyone on board! I have the trains ved to me,¡± Ray called out from the first open cargo bay. Leo sprinted the short distance to the second cargo car and jumped in. Maxim followed and the others ran for the end cars. The first train was drawing all the fire from the remaining Allsa Komanae by the ship¡¯s loading bay. They were close enough for Maxim and Leo to hit their targets and the iing fire quickly stopped as they picked off the guards.


    Ray had their decoy train move to the opposite side of the ship as they pulled in by the open cargo bay. He shut down the trains and they sprinted to the cargo door. Ray saw a group of ten small rectangr storage pods waiting to be loaded. He scanned them and suddenly froze.


    ¡°Major!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The pods! They contain¡­ children. Most are human children!¡±


    ¡°What?!?¡± She ran over to the first pod and went to open it.


    ¡°NO! They¡¯re in stasis. It¡¯s safer for them to stay like that for now. We shouldn¡¯t open them until we get them back onto our ship.¡± Ray moved into the cargo area and scanned the pods inside. ¡°I have three more in here. The rest are just full of normal cargo junk.¡±


    Nann and the Major kept watch as Maxim, Ray, and Leo moved the three pods outside onto their train in thest car. They moved the other ten onto the train which didn¡¯t leave much room for the team.


    ¡°Ray! Can you hack your way into the ship¡¯s navigation system?¡± Nann asked him.


    ¡°Uh, maybe. I can try but I¡¯m going to need to get to a main terminal. The cargo area doesn¡¯t have a terminal and the crew has locked the inner door manually from the inside.¡±


    ¡°Boys?¡± Nann said to Maxim and Leo. They rushed back into the ship. Momentster they rushed out and everyone ducked behind the engine of the cargo train. Nothing happened for a few seconds and Nann was about to ask when the charge blew. The noise was deafening and the lower half of the ship bulged outwards destroying the cradle the ship was sitting in.


    They all peered over the engine at the destroyed ship. There was a tear in the hull ting up the side so wide Ray was able to fly through it into the Engineering department to find a terminal.


    ¡°Geezus! What the fuck was that?!? How much explosive did you use?¡± Nann griped, seeing the damage. ¡°We should have been much further away!¡±


    ¡°Ship¡¯s hull contained st¡­ mostly. I used only two seeds. It took three to blow windshield.¡± Leo muttered.


    ¡°You¡¯re using that crazy organic shit from the Altarians? You know that stuff¡¯s too powerful! The windshield would have been some kind of reinforced polymer on an armored personnel carrier! Of course it took more!¡± the Major barked.


    ¡°Bal said destroy ships. This does both,¡± Leo answered.


    Ray returned. ¡°Sorry Major, the ship is dead as is the rest of its crew. They were behind the door when it blew. The st cut the power to theputers too. I¡¯ll need ess to a ship before Leo blows it up.


    Taking a position on the engine Ray got the cargo trains moving again as his teammates gotfortable in the car directly behind the engine. Their shield train was still with them, out front between them and the remaining two ships.


    Cha¡¯Risa contacted the SEAL team at the second ship to let them know they were on their way. The Captain she reached reported the crew had locked themselves inside and without blowing a hole in the ship to get inside they were stalemated. They wanted the pilot for interrogation.


    The trains approached the ship and they heard a siren start to wail.


    ¡°Uh Major, I think it¡¯s preparing tounch.¡± Nann said.


    ¡°Leo, give Nann five seeds. Nann hit the side of that ship! Up top, away from the cargo hold.¡±


    ¡°Captain, pull your team back. We¡¯re going to blow the ship!¡± Cha¡¯Risa yelled into herm.


    They watched the SEAL team beat a hasty retreat as the cradle began to enclose the ship in preparation forunching it.


    Nann prepared a payload round and Leo dropped five of the seeds into the impact gel. She pped the round into her sniper rifle, aimed, and fired before the cradle waspletely in position. Secondster the ground jumped under them as the cradle split open and the top half of the ship tore free and crashed to the ground.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a fair bet to assume this ship is dead too. Let¡¯s get to the cargo before it burns up,¡± Nann called out over the noise.


    They pulled up and Ray shot forward. He hooked a tentacle into the wreckage of the cargo bay door and ripped it open. He suddenly shot sideways as a sma bolt fired out of the open doorway ncing off his side.


    ¡°OW! FUCK!¡± he yelled as Maxim leapt forward to fire three rounds into the Allsa Komanae lying on the floor of the cargo bay.


    ¡°RAY!¡± Nann screamed.


    ¡°I¡¯m ok! He just grazed me but FUCK did that hurt!¡±


    Leo walked up to Ray and gave him an angry shove. ¡°You open door, you stand aside! Always!¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Ray said.


    ¡°GO! Check cargo.¡± Leo said, rattled by the close call.


    Ray swooped around Maxim and scanned the pods. ¡°I have three more. All children. One is human.¡± He began unhooking the pods from the restraints. Leo and Maxim carried the pods outside where the SEALs took them to the cargo train.


    ¡°Why are they stealing children?¡± the SEAL Captain asked as he reached the cargo bay.


    ¡°No idea. Ray, is there any chance you could get anything from theputers in this ship?¡± the Major asked.


    ¡°Sorry, no. We only have one more chance.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± the Captain asked.


    ¡°We need a workingputer terminal on one of these ships so Ray can read their navigation system to get the coordinates to the homeworld. Two out of the three ships have been destroyed. Last chance.¡± Cha¡¯Risa exined.


    The Captain nodded and spoke into hism to reach the sailors at thest ship. He spoke quietly for a few seconds. He looked back at the others. ¡°They¡¯ve breached the ship and are making their way inside. They know we need the ship intact.¡±


    Ray rushed away once more to a maintenance building on the edge of the tarmac and momentster they saw arge vehicle roll out of it and turn their way. It was some kind of firefighting equipment but best of all it had plenty of room for passengers. The cargo train which wasn¡¯t riddles with holes was now full of cargo pods so the personnel climbed onto therge vehicle. Ray got the shield train moving towards the third and final ship and had the full train follow. Then he got their ride moving and pulled it up beside the second train.


    ¡°We have the pilot!¡± the Captain called out, listening to hism. His team cheered.


    They pulled up along the side the third ship and Ray shut down all of the vehicles.


    The Major called Queen Elissa.


    ¡°Major Ash! Is everyone alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes though Ray has a nasty scar.¡±


    ¡°Oh my! Tell him to be more careful!¡±


    ¡°We found quite a few kidnap victims in the cargo of two of the ships. They are in stasis pods. They¡¯re all children.¡±


    ¡°Children?¡± her voice was quiet.


    ¡°Yes, so far all children. They had to be recent abductions. Most seem to be human and the rest are from a bunch of different races.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send shuttles and Tik to pick them up.¡± The Queen¡¯s voice had ice in it. ¡°Excellent work Major. Please pass along my thanks to the others.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Captain Vickers tells me we have a pilot in custody and we are going to ask Ray to try to read the navigation logs of this ship.¡±


    ¡°Excellent! The city administrators were killed by their staff before the SEAL teams got to them. It was a bloody battle but only minor injuries on our side. The teams are heading back to the ship. Keep me informed of your progress!¡± Queen Elissa said, her voice warming up considerably.


    Ray was already flying over to the ship. The SEALs led the pilot from it and Ray went inside. He scanned the cargo and found five more children. The SEALs carried the pods outside and put them in the intact cargo bays of the shield train as Ray went up to the bridge. He scanned theputers and saw how he could interface with it. He found the navigation logs and began downloading them. Then he noticed something else.


    The Major sent both cargo trains back to the spaceport double-time. Colonel Bertillon reported that all Allsa Komanae in the buildings were dead. They¡¯d refused to surrender and fought to the death. All of the pilots in the base were dead as well. They¡¯d taken their own lives rather than be interrogated. Cha¡¯Risa frowned and watched their prisoner being led to the truck. Why was it acting so¡­ calm?N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    SHIT!

 85

    Ray¡¯s voice sted out over everyone¡¯sm. ¡°EVERYONE GO! THE SHIP¡¯S ENGINES ARE SET TO OVERLOAD! GET CLEAR! NOW!!!¡±


    ¡°RAY! GET OUT OF THERE!¡± Nann yelled into herm from the driver¡¯spartment of the truck where she¡¯d been familiarizing herself with the controls.


    ¡°No time to wait, I¡¯ll be right behind you! GO!¡±


    Nann got the truck started and the sailors jumped onboard. The truck jerked forward then began to elerate towards the admin buildings. Cha¡¯Risa was standing on a tform on the back of the truck holding a grip bar as she watched for Ray.


    They were almost back to the building when she saw something ejecting from the front of the ship towards them in a ballistic arc. Then the ship blew in a huge sh of white light. The shockwave raced outwards.


    The truck swung wide and Cha¡¯Risa clung to the handrail with all her might as the truck ducked in behind the shelter of the building before the st wave struck. The building¡¯s windows blew out and the five story edifice shook on its foundations.


    The Major frantically looked upwards just in time to see a tumbling ejection capsule drop into the trees of the ridge line a few kilometers away. No parachute had deployed.


    Secondster the shuttles arrived to pick up the cargo pods. Nann dropped down from the cab just as Maxim, Leo, and the Major ran past. ¡°WHERE¡¯S RAY?¡± she yelled. The Major just gestured for her to follow.


    She chased them to the closest shuttle. The Major told the Tik pilot to lift off and head up the ridge line. It wasted no time and soon they were traveling north at treetop level. They found and hovered over the spot where the capsule had crashed through the treetops. The fourmandos rode cables down to the forest floor. A few hundred metres further north they found the wreckage.


    The pilot Tik joined them after it ved the shuttle to its control. It ripped open the capsule¡¯s door and lifted Ray¡¯s motionless shape from inside. ¡°His energy levels are much too low. We must get him back to the ship,¡± was all the Tik said. Themandos hooked up to the cables and rose back up to the shuttle deck. They gathered around Ray as the pilot got them headed back to the de of Reason at top speed.


    ¡°God damn you Ray! You are NOT dying on us again!¡± Cha¡¯Risa growled.


    >>>>>>>


    Jack woke feeling almost unbearably hot and his arms were tingling. Eve and Ste were pressed up against him on both sides and his mind went to another moment so long ago where he¡¯d woken between two hot females. He grinned.


    ¡°Are you awake now Jack?¡±


    He lifted his head to look over Eve¡¯s head to see Kekk standing a few feet away. Behind him was Ghia looking anxious. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing is wrong. Just too many pheromones! We¡¯re going to find a ce to have some private time then it is our turn to sleep. We will return shortly.¡± He turned and Ghia took his hand. They rushed to the doorway and peered outside. They slipped out the door and were gone.


    Jack dropped his head back and Eve snuggled in closer. He had to get up but Ste threw her arm over him and he was trapped once more.


    He thought back to the conversation they¡¯d had the night before. They knew they had no food and that was going to be a problem. The water was still flowing but there was no power. Once the power came back online they might be able to secure some food. Maybe. Themunications andwork services were the biggest threat as they controlled the cors but they weren¡¯ting back on without power. The Grellian suggested they immediately go to the spaceport to get to the ships. Unfortunately they were quite a ways from that location and unless they could steal a ride walking was going to take all day.


    They discussed ns for getting there the following day as Jack and Ghia were exhausted. In a huff the Grellian walked away from the group into the darkness¡­ and didn¡¯te back. Kekk looked outside and there was no sign of therge stony being. Their motley crew was minus one Grellian. Kekk and Ste took first watch and the rest slept. Jack was supposed to take a turn during the night but they let him sleep.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Now he was trapped under two soft and hot furry females.


    Luckily Joseph came to his rescue as he began to fuss on the bed next to Jack¡¯s.


    Instantly awake, Eve lifted her head to look over at the child and saw he was just waking. She smiled at Jack¡¯s happy grin.


    ¡°You are an excellent mother,¡± he said.


    She frowned and rolled out of bed but he caught the joy in her eyes as she moved to collect the child.


    Ste clung tighter to Jack and he¡¯d had enough. He saw the slight upturn at the corners of her mouth so he knew she was awake. He ran his teeth down her throat and released a deep rumbling growl. She bleated and grabbed at the sheets. Given his escape Jack gave her a sweet kiss and jumped off the bed before she could grab him again. She looked up at him with heat in her eyes and licked her lips.


    ¡°Am I really like that too?¡± Eve asked. Ste looked at her in surprise.


    ¡°No, not quite¡­ but close. I think Altarians are naturally horny-¡± Jack stopped as his eyes rose upwards to the growths rising over his head.


    Ste began tough until she couldn¡¯t breathe. Eve was watching the blush rising on his face with fascination.


    Shaking his head Jack headed for the shower. He was still covered in sweat. He wondered what he was going to do about getting clean clothes.


    The water was cold but it was refreshing and he was able to get clean. He was surprised Ste hadn¡¯t followed him in.


    Jack walked out of the shower room putting his funky tunic back on. As it slipped over his head he spotted some stains that might be Allsa Komanae¡­ blood? He sighed and pulled it down.


    As it cleared his head he spotted Eve and Ste standing side by side looking at him with fear in their eyes. Then he spotted the stranger holding Joseph in her arms.


    It was a woman. She was tall, as tall as he was, and wore a charcoal grey gown that hid her body but gave the impression that she was slim. Her head was exposed as the gown¡¯s hood was pushed back and he saw she had no hair, at all. Her skin was porcin white which made the blue of her sensual lips seem darker. Those lips were smiling now.


    ¡°Atst we meet Jack. I¡¯ve been so looking forward to it.¡±


    Her voice was like the smoothest, sweetest honey dripping onto his tongue. He found himself wishing she¡¯d keep talking then blinked in confusion.


    ¡°Prime?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Very good, Jack! You¡¯re not as much of a disappointment as my¡­ underlings suggested you¡¯d be.¡± She practically devoured him with herrge blue eyes. Glowing blue¡­ wait, glowing?


    ¡°We need to have a little talk but this isn¡¯t the ce so it¡¯s time to take a little sleep.¡± Prime said sweetly. Eve and Ste copsed like puppets with their strings cut. Jack took a step towards them but froze when Prime lifted Joseph in the air as if she was going to m him down.


    ¡°You¡¯ve damaged my prettiest work ever! That won¡¯t do. Hold very still now,¡± she said and Jack was beginning to wish she would stop talking. Her voice was seriously messing up his mind.


    He missed the Allsa Komanae sneaking up behind him until the stun rod jammed against the base of his skull and his brain lit up.


    When he returned to his body he found himself naked on his back, secured to a table much like the one he¡¯d been on when they attached the cor. He couldn¡¯t move his head and the memory of the pain that day came rushing back and his body jolted.


    ¡°Shhhhh¡­ calm yourself Jack. Everything is fine.¡±


    It was Prime but he couldn¡¯t see her. The sound might have beening from below the table.


    ¡°You really did a number on my lovely cor. I spent so much time on it ensuring it was perfectly calibrated to your biosignature so it could transmit every nuance of your experiences. Now I have to fix it while you are wearing it. I¡¯m sorry Jack, this isn¡¯t going to be pleasant for you. The receiver is fried and that¡¯s going to require recement of that link. That¡¯s¡­ well that¡¯s going to hurt like nothing else you¡¯ve ever felt.¡± Her voice was calm like she was talking about something mundane like the weather.


    Jack grit his teeth together as his body shook.


    Prime went on oblivious to his difort. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of thatter. I¡¯m so pleased the transmitter is still functioning perfectly. That would have ruined all of my ns. Once I have it recalibrated we¡¯ll take it out for a test drive. I may even share the feed with your friends over there as a nice break from all the pain. Oh yes, that¡¯s right, you can¡¯t see them. Well, it¡¯s the females you were with. They¡¯re getting a little disciplining now. I¡¯ll let you hear a bit of their sweet pain.¡± She did something he couldn¡¯t see and suddenly he could hear Eve and Ste¡¯s cries of agony. Then it was gone. ¡°Ah! Just a little bit. You don¡¯t deserve any more reward than that! Time for that recalibration.¡±


    She was silent for a bit and Jack began to feel mes licking at his toes. A band of heat and excruciating pain climbed up his legs. Jack began to hyperventte as he tried to keep from screaming. His jaw clenched and he willed himself to rise above the pain. It was harder than anything he¡¯d done before but he was next aware that the pain had already risen above his nipples and was still climbing. His jaw muscles were so rigid he was worried about cracking some teeth.


    Then it was up to his chin and crossing his face. He held his breath and the band passed over his eyes and left through the top of his head. He gasped in a breath and every muscles sagged in relief. When he opened his eyes again he saw Prime was standing next to the table watching him with an odd expression.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t scream.¡±


    Jack saw something in her eyes then. Doubt. A w in her armor. It was only there for the briefest moment but he saw it. He closed his eyes and rxed. He heard an odd sound and reopened them to see she had dropped her gown to her feet. Her skin was wless and hairless. She had no breasts so he assumed her species weren¡¯t mammalian. He forced his eyes away from her sleek body.


    ¡°You- you look nothing like the other Allsa Komanae,¡± he ground out.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t do I.¡± Her voice was pleased as she looked down at her body and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m an example of the perfection of our species while they are the result of a millennia of poisoning. They must bemended for their brave efforts to survive though. Of course that¡¯s not their doing to be truthful. It¡¯s just proof of the overpowering will of a Prime at work. The one who gave his being to this perverted cloning process to keep the species alive must have been desperate and possibly injured to have attempted something so bold. The results¡­ a shadow of our glory but one whichsted¡­ until you.¡±

 86

    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°You poisoned the Prime Source. A biological weapon strike against the very thing that kept them alive for so long. Now it¡¯s gone and they are all going to die. Slowly at first then in ever growing numbers until they are gone.¡±


    ¡°Why are you saying that was me?¡± Jack asked, hoping to deflect her rage.


    She reached up and pulled a corpse into view. It was suspended on a ceiling mounted rail. From the robes Jack knew it was First. ¡°Do you remember this one? I had a long talk with it and it said some very interesting things before¡­ well, you know.¡± Prime exined. She reached up with her long white fingers and touched the ripped flesh almost tenderly.


    ¡°This one was truly a disappointment. Smarter than the others, I¡¯d actually begun to think I could depend on it to get things done. I mean, it managed to arrange your capture. It followed my instructions to the letter and here you are! Earth and Altaria are at each other¡¯s throats and soon we will have a little bloodshed on both sides. Shouldn¡¯t be difficult to escte that into something really vicious. Humans are truly barbaric at their core.¡± She smiled down at him and stroked his cheek. ¡°Capable of genocide.¡±


    Prime pointed over her shoulder. ¡°The small grey one confirmed First¡¯s statements when I exined I would eat the baby unless she talked.¡±


    ¡°Where is Joseph?¡± he asked.


    Her blue eyes looked into his and once more he saw them begin to glow. That was oddly disconcerting.


    ¡°In a safe ce. I have ns for that one. I have ns for all the children I¡¯ve collected,¡± she looked down at Jack with an almost doting smile.


    ¡°What?¡± he looked at her in shock.


    ¡°It¡¯s all part of the n Jack. Of course you made it necessary for me to move my timeline ahead quite a bit. All of my people, dead at your hand. How am I going to rule if I don¡¯t have a loyal ruling ss? I need to repopte my race. That¡¯s what a Queen does. I¡¯m thest Prime so I¡¯m going to repopte our world. You and me Jack, we¡¯re going to make some new Primes. Then once they are ready we will expand outwards once more.


    ¡°But¡­ you could save some of your people if you gave them some of your tissue. They could be refreshed from your flesh. You don¡¯t need to steal children!¡± Jack gasped.


    She looked down at him and he wentpletely still. The rage and revulsion on her face was terrifying.


    ¡°Give them a piece of me? Steal from perfection to feed their corrupt sickened flesh? If you weren¡¯t integral to my ns I would crush your brains between my fingers for speaking such sphemy.¡±


    Jack just blinked at her as she struggled to get control of herself once more. ¡°Ahhhh¡­ very clever Jack. You almost made me forget myself and kill you. No. That won¡¯t do. You will help me renew the Mahrell Drun and the gxy will fear that name again.¡±


    Jack suddenly realized she was quite mad.


    ¡°Why are your eyes glowing?¡± he asked to distract her.


    She smiled and stroked his cheek with her slender hands. Then she pped his cheek. His head rung from the p as he was still mped down on the table. Shit, she was strong!


    ¡°I will tell you. I was asleep for a very long time as my ship travelled from the Mahrell Drun home world to the first outpost world in the Allsa Komanae territory. It took far longer than expected and far longer than the equipment maintaining my perfection could cope with. When they thawed me out my beautiful eyes were gone. It had been too long. Luckily the Allsa Komanae are second to none when ites to cybeics. They matched the beauty of my natural eyes and improved what nature had given me. I see¡­ everything! Motion detection down to the smallest increment. Every spectrum.¡± She looked at him and smiled oddly. ¡°But enough dys. I have a reborn race to create and you must do your part.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but we aren¡¯t even close species wise! How the hell are you expecting to get pregnant from me?¡± Jack gasped in exasperation.


    ¡°Your very nature is what makes this all possible Jack. Do try to keep up. You¡¯re a hybrid. A miraculous amalgamation of twopletely different genomes. Do you have anyprehension of just how rare that is? Better yet, proving your viability you can impregnate both species! Your gic versatility is exactly what I need! Primes are gifted with the ability to blend and alter our own DNA if we have ess to the right source genome. This eliminates the problem of the Gate¡¯s effect on Prime gics. I¡¯ll be free to travel anywhere!¡± She grinned at her captive audience.


    ¡°That¡¯s where youe in Jack. Before I set my n of capturing you in motion I had one of my agents collect a sample of your DNA.¡±


    Seeing Jack¡¯s frown of confusion she grinned. ¡°How many hands do you shake at those silly trademission meetings? Jack, please, it was so simple to obtain the sample. I tested it and confirmed you werepatible. Then all I needed was to bring you to me. Getting to you on Altaria wasn¡¯t an option but you do love visiting your home don¡¯t you. Homesick maybe? All I had to do was whisper in the right ears that I wanted you, alive.¡±


    Jack¡¯s mind was reeling. She¡¯d been plotting his capture well before he stepped into the trap.


    ¡°And here you are! With your seed I will be able to create a new race of Primes. I am ripe with eggs, just waiting for a new sequence to be written into them. I will spawn in abundance. Once I fertilize my eggs with your unique gic sequence I will begin injecting those eggs into the children I collected. They will grow within the hosts, absorbing any gic traits that may be suitable, until their hosts arepletely consumed.¡±


    Jack stared at Prime in revulsion. ¡°Oh fuck! Mahrell Drun are parasites?¡±


    Again rage and madness shed across her face and her hands went to his neck but even her long digits had trouble wrapping around his thick muscles.


    Shaking she pulled herself back from the brink.


    ¡°Again¡­ you are too clever. Far too clever. Once I have what I need I will need to dispose of you,¡± she whispered aloud but Jack was sure she thought she was saying it internally.


    She moved to the bottom of the table and climbed up. She made her way up until she lowered her body on top of his.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t going to work you understand. I¡¯m not attracted to you. Frankly, you scare the piss out of me so getting sexually excited is probably not in the realm of possibility.¡±


    ¡°Your fear excites me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s lovely for you but like I said¡­¡±


    Her face was positioned above his and her eyes were beginning to glow once more as she rocked her pelvis in circles over his limp penis.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite amusing that you believe that. You forget how driven your race is by its base urges and biology. Why do you think I created such a special cor to collect and broadcast so much of your body¡¯s sensations? It will let me know exactly what feels good and how to make you give me what I need. You won¡¯t be able to resist.¡± Prime said calmly.


    Jack suddenly felt the ss shards sensation in his mind. So not only was she trying to rape his body she wanted to rape his mind too. He was still limp but he wasn¡¯t kidding himself that his body wouldn¡¯t respond if she started doing something right. He was just fortunate that she was really bad at the whole seduction thing.


    He looked into her eyes and there it was again, doubt. She could feel that he wasn¡¯t excited¡­ at all. He knew he had to do anything he could to prevent her from killing those children. If that meant he needed to trick her into killing him then that¡¯s what he would have to do.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re a little out of practice with the whole sex thing. Maybe you should take up another hobby. I hear pottery making is rxing,¡± he said, his nervousness weakening his smirk.


    Rage and doubt red in her eyes once more. He prepared himself for a killing blow so he was takenpletely by surprise when her mouth pressed against his. Her lips were wet and sticky and suddenly her tongue was in his mouth. He choked when she thrust it in too deeply. He thought of biting it but he couldn¡¯t. He just wanted her tongue out of his mouth. His lips began to tingle like they were going numb.


    She pulled her face back and looked at him in frustration. Her lips were swollen and a deeper shade of blue. Her face was flushed with a blue tint as well and her breathing wasing in gasps. She was definitely getting excited but he just wanted to get away from her.


    He blinked to focus his eyes as he began to feel a little strange. Sounds were slightly out of sync with his vision. The discrepancy was making him feel a little queasy.


    She rubbed her groin against his but she was the only one who was receiving pleasure from that. She was getting closer but Jack was still limp as a cooked noodle.


    Prime looked closer at his face and saw she¡¯d left his mouth wet from the fluids her lips gave off. His eyes were ssy and he seemed to be unaware of his surroundings. She reached down and ran a fingertip over his lips and she felt a sudden surge of pleasure rushing through their link as his tingling lips reacted to the touch of her finger. When he let her fingertip slide into his mouth and gently sucked on it, flicking it with his tongue Prime threw her head back in their shared pleasure. She¡¯d forgotten the effect her lips had when kissing. Seeing him suck her finger gave her an idea.


    She pulled her finger from his mouth and he moaned. His eyes were rolling as the toxin in her mucus seeped into his bloodstream.


    Looking at his cock she determined it would fit into her mouth. The tingling sensation on his lips applied there was going to do amazing things to this sensitive flesh. She could already feel his pleasure as she held it in her fingers. Tentatively she reached out the tip of her tongue and stroked up the thickening shaft.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± they cried out in unison. She pulled back and shook her head to clear her vision. The cor was transmitting his sensations too strongly. It was overwhelming her senses. She needed to recalibrate it once more to reduce the output but he¡¯d have to go through that pain again and¡­ she wanted more. She couldn¡¯t recall feeling this much pleasure¡­ ever. Maybe if she shared the feed with the others. Limit it by spreading it around. She connected to the two females and shut off their punishment. They sagged in relief. Then she linked in the feed from Jack and dropped the sound wall around them. She wanted to hear if they were getting his signal.


    She noticed his cock was beginning to soften so she stroked it with her tongue once more and kissed the tip.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Jack yelled, his hips jumping involuntarily. Eve and Ste both cried out in joy as they felt Jack¡¯s pleasure and knew it was from him.

 87

    Prime found herself resting on Jack¡¯s legs as her mind was reeling from the st of pleasure. The cor¡¯s feed was still too strong so she opened it up to thework. Let the miserable things feel a little pleasure as long as she got to continue. She realized she¡¯d cum once already and wanted more. It had been too long!


    She moved up to kiss the head once more and slowly took him inside her mouth to slide her lips down to the base of his cock, rubbing the sticky wetness over every surface as her tongue stroked and spread the liquid around. She struggled to continue as the bliss was almost two much. Jack¡¯s cock was hard as stone and felt hot against her tongue. His hips began thrusting and she wanted more. Soon she was taking him deep and running her tongue over every surface. She wanted more. MORE!


    In the back of her mind a voice was crying out to her, telling her she was missing something important but she forced that voice back and concentrated and getting as much of his cock into her mouth as she could. She needed it. She wanted it. It was almost there.


    ¡°I¡¯M CUMMING!¡± Jack shouted. Stream after stream of cum shot out into Prime¡¯s mouth and she swallowed as quickly as she could as her own body rocked through a massive release. She kept her mouth tightly fastened to his cock and sucked it dry.


    After he came he was so sensitive the slightest touch sent huge surges of intensity. Prime pulled away from his cock but she stared hungrily at it.


    His seed! She¡¯d swallowed it! She suddenly realized she¡¯d gotten carried away and forgotten her mission. Her mind filled with rage. It was his fault! He needed to be punished! She pped his face and screamed as the pain surged into her mind. The strength of the pain caused her to fall from the table onto the floor. Eve and Ste cried out as well. The link! She¡¯d left it open!


    Shey there on the floor and realized she just needed to close the link then she could punish him as he needed.


    She felt something happening to her body. Heat flushed through her limbs and she convulsed on the floor. Her mind was filled with static, deafening, overwhelming, then silence.


    Some time passed and she became aware of herself again. She was still on the floor. She needed to do something. JACK! He¡­ he needed to be punished!


    She pushed herself up and looked down at Jack. Bad Jack.


    Her body felt¡­ different. Softer. She looked down at her porcin skin with the hint of blue and saw her chest had swollen. Two darkish blue patches of skin rested atop the swelling. Touching the darker skin made her gasp as she realized they were sensitive! Pinching them felt¡­ even better! She grinned.


    ¡°It¡¯s happened Jack! I¡¯m new! The Tik can no longer stop me! Thanks to you!¡± He moaned in response.


    She tore her mind away from this new development and turned to punish Jack.


    Prime hesitated. She just needed to break her link to him but instead her hand was caressing his balls and this area wasn¡¯t feeling oversensitive. It felt¡­ incredible. She leaned forward over the table and sucked Jack¡¯s balls into her mouth and ran her tongue over them. Her knees went weak as she felt the incredible pleasure washing over her mind. She tugged on the stiffening peaks of dark flesh on her chest which just added to her pleasure.


    Under her body Jack twisted his wrist to get his fingers over her wet opening. He began to pump them into her as she sucked on his balls. His cock bumped against her face and she knew she had to have it in her mouth again. She felt so good from Jack¡¯s touch and from his bliss passing through their link. She released his balls and took his cock in her mouth down to the base in one stroke. She moaned as the link saturated her mind. It was so good! She struggled to remain conscious as wave after wave of bliss washed over her.


    Once more she pumped her mouth up and down his cock and it took longer this time. Soon however she felt his cum filling her mouth as his fingers pulled hard against her sensitive flesh. She screamed her orgasm with Jack¡¯s cock pressing against the back of her throat. When she recovered she swallowed until he shrank in her mouth. She turned her head and rested it on his stomach as sheid across his body. Their afterglow was washing over her and her mind began to buzz once more.


    His seed!


    She was too drained to punish him for tricking her again. She would have to try againter. The very thought sent a wave of tingles through her body. She rested and contemted closing the link but then she thought, not yet.


    Noises eventually cut through the pleasing hum of her sated mind. Concentrating on the idea that she could reopen the link to Jack as she desired, she finally managed to shut it down. This broke the connection for everyone. There was a loud boom from outside the room.


    Prime attempted to contact her personal guard but no one responded. She walked over to the windows and triggered their coverings to retract.


    She was confronted with the impossible.


    Floating in the skies above her city was¡­ the ship she¡¯d seen only once before as she fled Mahrell Drun in her sleeper ship.


    ¡°NO!¡± she screamed in rage.


    The doors at the far end of the room blew open as a number of grim Human males rushed into the room, wicked curved des held in their hands. Blue ichor dripped from their edges and more than a few of the men were wearing the blood of her people.


    In their midst were twopletely ck Altarians who were on either side of a chocte brown Altarian dressed in a white flowing gown. They moved forward as a group until they were just outside of leaping distance from the Prime who stood there, naked and shaking with rage.


    ¡°I assume you are the one called Prime?¡± the regal one in the center spoke.


    Supressing her rage Prime nodded. ¡°Queen Elissa I presume.¡± She looked at the deadly agents at her side and the Human¡¯s guarding her. ¡°Pet Humans or have rtions between Earth and Altaria been restored.¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Rtions are stronger than ever. It¡¯s amazing how unifying amon enemy can be.¡± Elissa stated. ¡°We also have the children you kidnapped.¡±


    ¡°Thank god,¡± Jack gasped from his restraints.


    Prime nced outside the window but couldn¡¯t see any of the Allsa Komanae.


    ¡°If you are looking for your people it seems most of them went mad shortly before we arrived and the others tried to kill them. It¡¯s a bloodbath out there but we got through rtively unscathed,¡± the Queen said. She looked closer at the Prime¡¯s face. ¡°You, ah, you seem to¡­ you have a little something on your chin.¡±


    Prime lifted a finger to her face and wiped her chin. She looked at her finger. Jack¡¯s cum. She had some of his sperm. Not much but some. Her n was saved!


    She sucked the finger clean and froze.


    DAMMIT!


    There was a loud crackle as a mirrored Gate appeared on the wall behind Prime. Two senior Tik came through.


    ¡°Queen Elissa, you must return to the ship at once! We did not authorize you to leave it during the mission!¡± Socrates blurted indignantly.


    ¡°Yes, please apany us back to the ship!¡± to insisted.


    Prime grinned at the shocked and distraught look on Queen Elissa¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ll be back for you shortly Jack.¡± Prime called out and blue lightning shot from her eyes to strike at Elissa. In the chaos Prime leapt for the Gate. She knocked Socrates into to and the two went down in a pile. The soldiers began to rush forward so Prime jumped through the Gate.


    The room went still and eyes turned to the de of Reason hanging above the city.


    Queen Elissa had thrown her arm up and the new gown absorbed the lightning harmlessly. She smiled at Gee.


    ¡°Could someone please unlock me from this damn torture table before she gets back?¡± Jack called out.


    A horrifying scream ripped through the silence of the room as Prime took a single, staggering step back through the Gate into the room. Her charred body was engulfed in mes and her mouth was stretched impossibly wide as she screamed in agony and rage. Socrates and to pped her back through the Gate. And closed it.


    Confused eyes returned to the ship.


    ¡°You don¡¯t really think we¡¯d actually leave a Gate open to the ship when a Prime was in the room did you?¡± Socrates asked in dismay. ¡°We entered the Gate from the other side of that wall,¡± it said as it pointed back.


    ¡°She took the bait as you said she would Queen Elissa!¡± to said sounding very pleased.


    ¡°You two yed your roles magnificently,¡± Elissa said with a smile then walked over to the table where Gee and Bal were undoing Jack¡¯s restraints.


    Jack was blinking in confusion. The toxin was slowly dissipating but it still lingered in his bloodstream making sound and light fall out of sync. He rolled over, gesturing for people to get out of the way then he hurled over the side of the table.


    When he was done gentle hands rolled him back onto the table. He couldn¡¯t really track anyone with his eyes as the distortion was making him ill. He thought he saw Eve and Ste next to Bal.


    ¡°Where- where did she go?¡± he finally gasped with his eyes closed.


    ¡°Where she belonged. Mahrell Drun,¡± Elissa said. ¡°The Tik switched the Gate after they came through. If she¡¯d known, she never would have voluntarily gone through the Gate.¡±

 88

    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The world was sterilized millennia ago. Lost most of its atmosphere. Cooked by its sun. It no longer supports life. We wouldn¡¯t survive there. I¡¯m amazed the Primested as long as she did,¡± to exined.


    Jack heard some cranky crying and opened his eyes to see Joseph settling down as Eve took him in her arms.


    ¡°Queen Elissa?¡± he called as he closed his eyes again.


    ¡°Yes Jack?¡±


    ¡°Can we go home, please? Oh, and can someone get me some clothes?¡±


    ¡°Yes Jack.¡±


    Running was a luxury he¡¯d missed. As he reached the halfway point he let himself drop down to a trot then a jog and finally a walk.


    He came to a stop on a bridge over a deep stream. He recalled jumping into one much like this one to rescue a child. It seemed like a lifetime ago. He turned his face up to let the early morning sunshine soak into his skin.


    A woman walking along the path with her child in a stroller held her hand up to shield her eyes from the bright reflection being cast off of the ve cor Jack still wore. Jack pulled up the cor of his t-shirt to cover it and called out an apology.


    In the three months since he returned home Jack had spoken with three separate Chuuruthian doctors. They¡¯d all agreed afterprehensive examinations that he was safer to leave the cor in ce. It¡¯s interconnection to his nervous system were too numerous and microscopic to remove without leaving him with some residual loss of sensation. What sensation he¡¯d lose couldn¡¯t be determined easily.


    The Altarian Security Ministry techs managed to make the explosives in it inert so there was no longer any chance of it exploding, which was a relief. They also confirmed that its receiver was dead but the transmitter was still active though there was no one left to receive and interpret its signals.


    The cor wasn¡¯t painful, it didn¡¯t impair him in any way, and everyone who saw it was impressed with its beauty and workmanship¡­ until they realized it was permanently attached to him.


    For Jack, the sight of it brought back memories of pain¡­ and the death of Beth and Drew.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    Jack turned his face and looked at the woman he¡¯d blinded with his new jewellery. Her face tickled a memory and her name popped into his mind. ¡°Miro?¡±


    She beamed him a huge smile as she was so pleased he remembered.


    ¡°How¡¯s your arm? How is Me doing?¡±


    Her smile got even wider. ¡°My arm is all healed up, thank you, and Me is wonderful thanks to you! I never got to thank you for what you did for us that day!¡±


    ¡°It was my pleasure. I did feel a little responsible because that idiot was trying to get to me when she crashed into you two,¡± he said with a frown.


    ¡°No, please! You weren¡¯t to me! I got my day in court to speak out against her antisocial behavior and she¡¯s no longer a threat to the public.¡±


    She was smiling at him which made Jack start to feel restless so he shook Miro¡¯s hand, said his goodbyes, and waved as he started running back.


    He really pushed himself hard thest few miles and when he arrived back at his condo door he was dripping wet. He stepped inside and heard the squeals of happy children. That always brought his spirits up.


    ¡°Good morning Jack!¡± Diana smiled and walked over with his daughter Emily in her arms. She was named after Diana¡¯s mother. He¡¯d missed her birth and that was something he would never forgive his kidnappers for. Ever.


    Emily was pure human. Not a spec of Altarian DNA to be found. While she was beautiful like her mother, she was blond like her father so Jack contributed something to the gic mix.


    He kissed them both and Diana pushed his sweaty body away. ¡°Shower, now!¡± she said with a fake grimace.


    He made his way to his bedroom and looked at the women rxing in his living room. One notable absence was Ste. She¡¯d spent a lovely week with him when they returned but she had a life she had to pick up on one of Altaria¡¯s colony worlds. She had a position at a University there. He missed her but he understood her need to get back to her life. The life that had almost been stolen from her.


    He smiled and went to take his shower. He closed the bedroom door, carried some underwear into the bathroom and closed its door too. The door closing thing was a new habit he was teaching himself as there were so many kids in his ce now.


    He got the water running and let it spray over his head. He closed his eyes and let the heat wash away his tension. If he concentrated he could hear the voices of thedies in the living room and the sounds of the children. He needed that these days.


    Hands rubbed soap on his back and he smiled. He knew who it was without looking. The small but strong hands could only belong to Eve. She was living with him now too. Queen Elissa was arranging to buy out another neighbor and expand his condo as it was bing tight. He wouldn¡¯t have it any other way though.


    After the ¡®Grand Rescue¡¯, as the joint Tik/Altarian/Human mission had be named, and once the mad Allsa Komanae had been euthanized, the Tik documentarians arrived on the Allsa Komanae home world to dig up the names and home locations of all of the kidnap victims alive or dead. They were able to find records for Kekk and Ghia¡¯s and returned the couple to it but they¡¯d had no sess in finding Eve¡¯s. They¡¯d done their best to track down her previous ve owners and their records but the was never referenced. Eve herself had no memories of any other than the Allsa Komanae home world so she couldn¡¯t help. They knew there was a out there where Eve¡¯s people lived. Maybe one day they¡¯d find it but in the interim she was happy just to stay with him so she moved in.


    Eve pressed herself against his back and wrapped her arms around him. He thought she was just giving him a hug but her hands rested on top of his thighs.


    ¡°Jack, do I¡­ do I belong to you now?¡± Eve said quietly.


    The woman who¡¯d spent her entire life a ve was feeling a little lost with her new freedom. She needed him. Truthfully, he needed her as well.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re mine. For as long as you need me.¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    He felt her soapy hands move to wash a particr part of him until it became hard as steel. Jack rinsed the soap away and turned to face her, lifting her into his arms. He kissed her hard and she moaned into the kiss.


    Jack pressed her body against the wall and ground his cock against her.


    ¡°Oh Jack! Yes! Take me! I¡¯m yours! Please!¡± Eve sighed and her body shook. Jack squeezed her ass cheeks as he pushed the head of his cock into her tight opening. ¡°AAAHHH!!! YES! OH JACK!¡± Her legs wrapped around him as he drove himself roughly into her deeply again and again.


    His motions began to elerate as she clung to him. She began to honk deeply and he didn¡¯t even try to suppress her noises. He had no idea where such a loud sound came from in her small body but it meant she was truly happy so who was he to take that from her.


    ¡°OHHHH OHHHH OHHHHH!¡± she cried and he felt her mping down on his cock deliciously. He was a ways off so he let her ride out her bliss and when she began to show signs of sensitivity he slipped free and just held her as she gasped against his shoulder.


    Eventually she pulled back and gazed up at him with her lovely pale grey eyes. She raised an eyebrow, an expression she was learning from him, to ask if he wanted to continue but he just smiled and shook his head. He kissed her tenderly and she stepped out of the shower to dry off. He washed his hair, careful of his horns, and rinsed off.


    When he stepped out Eve was gone so he dried himself off and slipped on his briefs. He stepped out into the bedroom and got dressed in his casual clothes. It was the weekend after all. No work today. They had a dinner party at the Queen¡¯s residence to go to in thete afternoon but otherwise the day was theirs.


    He went out to make himself breakfast and SennLann rushed up to him to get her morning kiss. She wasn¡¯t that frisky in the morning but she insisted on a kiss to start her day.


    ¡°How are the girl¡¯s?¡± he asked her when she pulled back with a sigh. Gold eyes locked onto his excitedly.


    ¡°They are amazing!¡± she gushed and pulled him over to see them in the ypen he¡¯d bought for them. They had their mother¡¯s coloring and they¡¯d grown to the length of Jack¡¯s forearm between his wrist and the inside of his elbow. He reached down into the ypen and stroked the cheek of one of them. The other one smiled as well. He wondered once more just how that worked. He couldn¡¯t wait for them to be able to talk and be able to describe what they felt. He smiled at SennLann once more and gave her a kiss on the forehead.


    He walked into the kitchen and made his breakfast. Eve was there with Joseph. She adored the child and Jack had been worried that when they returned she would be distraught when Drew and Beth¡¯s families wanted the child back. It had been a nerve wracking month as they waited for word from the South African authorities but it turned out that the abducted couple had no immediate family and the family they did have wanted nothing to do with a child born on an alien world. Jack began the adoption process the moment he heard this but they were still waiting for the legal permission from Earth. Queen Elissa had granted Joseph Altarian citizenship in the interim.


    Jack carried his breakfast out onto the balcony and rxed back in a chair next to Diana. Emily was having her breakfast at her mother¡¯s breast and her mother was absolutely glowing with happiness and contentment. The brte¡¯s previous nervousness was gone as she¡¯d taken to motherhood in a big way. She was a natural.


    ¡°Hey beautiful,¡± Jack said with a smile.


    Sparkling green eyes looked back at him with love. She truly was lovely!


    His n for the day was exactly this. Just rxing with his family until they went out to the party so that¡¯s what they did.


    The Queen¡¯s residence was arge ranch style home in a very good neighborhood. Not exactly what you¡¯d assume a Queen would live in but it was spacious andfortable and reflected the ss and approachability of the Altarian Queen.

 89

    Gee and Bal opened the door and were immediately pulled into hugs from Jack. He hadn¡¯t seen them since they¡¯d returned him to Altaria as they¡¯d been in charge of the clean-up work on Allsa One and the Allsa Komanae home world. He effusively thanked them once more for saving his life then held the door open for Diana who had Emily in her arms, Eve who was carrying Joseph, and SennLann with the twins in her arms. The two agents were a little shaken but secretly delighted by Jack¡¯s emotional outburst towards them. They guided thedies and their charges into the family room where the other mothers were with their children.


    Jack walked into the living room and saw a broad shouldered, powerful looking woman in a lovely sleeveless green dress. From her stance he saw that she would have been morefortable in a military uniform. She was at ease¡­ but not really. Her ebony hair was bound in a long braid down her back. Her skin held a rich brown color and her eyes were scanning the room.


    Standing next to her was a lean redhead woman who wasughing with two tough looking grey haired soldiers who were attempting to bnce their drinks atop a shiny but dented Tik.


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Jack!¡±


    The group turned to face him and his horns immediately captured their attention.


    ¡°Yeah, the guy with the horns,¡± he grinned.


    Cha¡¯Risa stepped forward and held out her hand. Jack shook it and she smiled at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to finally meet you, sir,¡± she said.


    ¡°Jack, please. Major Cha¡¯Risa Ash. I believe the honor is mine. Gee and Bal¡¯s report said some pretty amazing things about you and your team.¡± She nodded with a smile and he turned to the redhead as he said their names and shook their hands. ¡°Captain Nann Graf.¡± He spotted the spade tattoo which was his clue. ¡°Corporal Leo Orlov.¡± Then his partner. ¡°Corporal Maxim Volkov.¡±


    Lastly he faced the man in the body of a Tik. If he could be a hybrid Human/Altarian why couldn¡¯t this human be part Tik? ¡°Lieutenant Ray Sharif. I understand you were the one who named the bad guys AND got the coordinates for where to find us.¡± He held out his hand and Ray ced his metallic tentacle in it.


    ¡°I¡¯m just sorry we didn¡¯t get to you sooner, sir,¡± Ray said.


    ¡°Just Jack, please. No¡­ it had to happen this way,¡± Jack said quietly, touching the cor unconsciously.


    ¡°Why is that?¡± Ray asked.


    Jack looked at the others. He had their full attention. He saw the Major in particr was listening closely.


    ¡°If they hadn¡¯t sessfully taken me the others would still be there. They would never have been found. You had to save them. They needed to go home. The ones who survived. For the ones who didn¡¯t you gave their families closure.¡±


    ¡°But you avenged their deaths. It¡¯s true isn¡¯t it. You did that. The Allsa Komanae. They¡¯re all going to die. Soon. It¡¯s already begun.¡± Cha¡¯Risa said with an intensity in her eyes.


    Jack saw her need for vengeance. He saw it in the others as well. They¡¯d all been on Allsa One and the home. They¡¯d found the mass graves of the dead ves. Jack owed them this.


    ¡°Yes. Everyst one of them will be dead within the next 3 years. The Allsa Komanae will be extinct,¡± he said.


    ¡°I understand we¡¯re going to have to speed that along. They know their Prime, thest Prime, is dead. Their society is fragmenting rapidly. The concern is that these remaining splinter groups, as their brain functionality begins to seriously degrade, they might try something desperate. Violent. We¡¯re going back out there with the Tik to hunt them,¡± Nann said.


    Jack was well aware of the discussions about dealing with the remaining Allsa Komanae. He¡¯d been asked to speak to a special councilprised of members from many of the Gate Network Worlds. Hellna was there representing Altaria and a newly appointed Minister of Security for Earth¡¯s Security Council was there as well. They were just two of the 33 representatives he¡¯d faced in what could only be called an interrogation.


    He¡¯d been questioned about his memories of his ordeal, the Allsa Komanae leaders he¡¯d met, the nature of the cor he wore, and most intensely about the actions he¡¯d taken which led to the present circumstances. The actual content of the meeting was sealed but somehow rumors began regarding his role in their demise. The phrase ¡®Three can keep a secret if two are dead¡¯ may be true but for 33 it was hopeless. Cha¡¯Risa¡¯s question to him was proof of how widespread the rumor had traveled as she and her team had just returned from Allsa One which was currently a restricted with very little ess.


    He cleared his throat. ¡°I believe the n is to send them to their home world to live out theirst days. A one way Gate.¡± Jack exined.


    ¡°Too good for them,¡± Leo growled.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Jack nodded. He needed to change the subject. He looked to Ray. ¡°I understand you have to wait a year before you are allowed to be repaired. A Tik appreciation rule.¡± He smiled at the man/Tik.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Yeah, I have to experience the ¡®fragility of life¡¯ and the ¡®consequence of action.¡¯ I get it. It¡¯s cool. I was exceptionally lucky. Many times actually.¡±


    Nann smiled at Ray and fondly touched his side.


    Jack saw Gee and Bal enter the room. He smiled at the group. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me I should check in with Queen Elissa.¡± he said and received nods.


    He made his way into therge family room and saw the women talking happily and holding their children. His children. Joseph included.


    Eve was watching him. She was always conscious of him when he entered the room. He gave her a smile and she returned it. Her ve cor caught the light. Hers had been defused like his was but she¡¯d decided to keep it even though hers was possible to remove. She¡¯d told him as long as he had his she would keep hers. He couldn¡¯t help but see theparison to wedding bands and the idea gave him somefort.


    Queen Elissa was also watching him. She¡¯d spent a considerable amount of time with him since his return. She¡¯d been with him when nightmares stole his sleep and she¡¯d gotten him past them. She¡¯d brought his smile back to him by focusing him on the life before him, not the death behind him. She¡¯d guided him out the other side of the depression he¡¯d fallen into and he felt like he¡¯d been given another shot at life.


    He caught her eye and she handed Max to Karrel who kissed the boy¡¯s face. Elissa joined Jack out on the deck for a moment of privacy. He took her in his arms and held her close.


    ¡°I need to thank you. I am surrounded by love and support but more than anyone, the one with the least amount of avable time, you were there for me. How did you manage to spend so much of your time with just one of your citizens?¡±


    She kissed him tenderly and smiled when she pulled back. ¡°You were the citizen who needed the most help.¡±


    He was lost for words but his eyes told her how much that meant to him.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m Queen,¡± she said quietly with a smile.

 90

    Jack greeted his day the same way he had every morning for the past year.


    With a toe in his nose.


    Actually, to be fair, it wasn¡¯t always a toe. Sometimes it was a finger. Or the tip of a tail. On a few asions, near the beginning, it was a sharp little tooth. That was no longer allowed.


    He opened his eyes and a happy, mischievous little face looked down at him, the tiny foot still nted across his mouth and the toe¡­ in his nostril.


    He tickled the pads of the foot with the tip of his tongue and was rewarded with high pitched giggles, one from the owner of the foot and one from her sister hiding at the foot of the bed. The tiny foot left his mouth but rested on his chest. Jack had no trouble bearing the weight of the two foot tall being standing on his chest.


    ¡°Zaina? What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± he asked her as he did each morning. Well¡­ the sister¡¯s took turns on alternate mornings but both heard the question.


    Her eyes twinkled with excited anticipation. ¡°Papa was making monster noises!¡±


    ¡°Papa¡¯s a monster?¡± he asked in surprise, his eyes wide. Zaina¡¯s muscles began to twitch in anticipation, her tail whipping back and forth, and she couldn¡¯t suppress the grin as she nodded.


    He surprised her this morning by suddenly lifting his arms under the sheets and trapping her in a tangle. Two little voices shrieked in delight.


    ¡°Papa¡¯s a hungry monster!¡± he growled and pretended to bite Zaina through the sheets. More shrieking ensued and Adinaunched herself onto the bed to rescue her trapped sibling.


    Exactly what he¡¯d been waiting for.


    With one trapped in the sheets he grabbed Adina¡¯s leg and toppled her onto her back next to her sister. Then he pressed a foot from each of them together and blew a loud raspberry against the bottoms of the two¡¯s wiggling toes.


    Their shrieks ofughter had an oddly harmonic synchronicity as the two shared the intense tickling sensation like a feedback loop between them. Their brains had linked sensory centers. What one felt, the other involuntarily did as well. Somehow they were able to distinguish who the sensations belonged to and, most of the time, they could ignore the secondary input.


    Additionally, what one saw and heard, the other could choose to see and hear. They¡¯d discovered there were differing levels of transference and control when it came to some of the senses. Scent for instance, was only minimally shared and often faded quickly. The family had been keeping this unique ability a secret as best they could in the three and a half years since they were born.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    When he let go of the two legs and pulled the sheet clear of Zaina¡¯s head the two had matching expressions of dreaminess on their faces. They were blissed out within their connection. He knew from previous experience they¡¯de out of it in a few minutes ande looking for him again so he rolled out of bed, grabbed some work clothes, and went to take a quick shower behind a locked door. Just keeping the door closed no longer sufficed with three year old, curious kids in his condo.


    He removed the protective caps from the points of his sharp horns, something else he had to do for the kids. Stepping into the shower he let it st him with hot water and he quicklythered up and rinsed off. He carefully washed his long sandy blond hair which hung down to his mid back. He ached to get a short haircut but he¡¯d have to deal with a mutiny in both offices he worked in. He managed to wash and rinse his hair without scratching himself on his horns. He could have left the caps on but water always got inside and he¡¯d forgotten to empty them before and had to listen to it slosh during a meeting or drip out at the worst possible moment.


    He shut off the water and got out to dry off. He shaved, put deodorant on, put the protective caps back on his horns before brushing out his hair, and then brushed his teeth. Before he got dressed he used his towel to buff the ve cor which was fused to his neck. He¡¯d like to ignore it but found if he didn¡¯t keep it clean and shiny the skin of his neck became irritated. So he took care of it. He got dressed and put as smile on his face as he looked at himself in the mirror.


    Yeah, he was fooling no one with that smile.


    The Queen had spent an extraordinary amount of time with him after his rescue from the Allsa Komanae and he was almost back to his old self but something was still missing. He tried not to burden anyone else with it so the smile went back on his face and he opened the bathroom door.


    ¡°RRRAAARR¡± roared from throats as the two small, ebony cat-like beingsunched from the corner of the bed into his arms. He wrapped them up tight against his chest and kissed their cheeks as he walked them out into the living room where most of his family were. SennLann walked up to him and he dipped his face down to her to give her a good morning kiss. The girls wiggled free to race away down the hall to their room. ytime waits for no man.


    SennLann watched them go with a happy smile. When she turned back she smiled at Jack. ¡°We let you sleep in just a little longer today. It was not a running day.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Yes, tomorrow I run,¡± he responded. ¡°Any word from Eve?¡± he asked looking at SennLann and Diana.


    It was Diana who answered. ¡°They had a much better night at the hospital. Joseph¡¯s fever broke and it¡¯s on its way back to normal.¡± Jack sighed. The poor little tyke had one ear infection after another. The doctor said he would be prone to them during the next few years. Eve vigntly stayed by his side. Jack called the Chuuruthian medical board to see if they had any suggestions but they hadn¡¯t had too many human infants as patients.


    Jack collected a kiss from Diana and his daughter Emily. SennLann handed him a breakfast shake and he headed off to work.


    He had a shift at the Embassy this morning and the Trade Commission this afternoon. The offices were just across a lovely courtyard from each other and the walk from his condo wasn¡¯t long. He made his way into the Embassy building and went up to the office. Stepping through the doors he said his hellos to the staff as he walked over to Denee, his personal assistant.


    ¡°Good morning Denee!¡± he said with a smile.


    ¡°Good morning Jack! You have some special guests waiting for you in your office this morning.¡±


    ¡°Really? How long have they been there?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Not more than a couple of minutes but you shouldn¡¯t make them wait,¡± Denee said with a smile. When he didn¡¯t move immediately she made shooing motions.


    ¡°Ok, fine!¡± he said with a grin.


    He walked over to his office and knocked before entering. Once inside he paused and smiled at the twodies smiling back at him from the chairs in front of his desk.


    ¡°Queen Elissa! Karrel! To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?¡± he said as he walked over and gave them both a quick kiss.


    ¡°Have a seat Jack,¡± Elissa said with a smile.


    ¡°Oh, maybe this isn¡¯t a pleasant surprise?¡± he said with a worried tone as he moved to his chair.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly Jack. Of course it¡¯s pleasant. We have no bad news to deliver to you!¡± Elissa said.


    ¡°Ok, good. So, what can I do for you two?¡±


    Elissa and Karrel shared a look and Jack¡¯s unease increased.


    ¡°I do have a favor to ask of my Altarian Ambassador,¡± the Queen said and Jack unconsciously sat a little straighter in his chair.


    ¡°I need you to take a vacation.¡±


    Jack froze and stared at the two women in shock. They looked back at him with concerned expressions.


    He tried to speak but his voice failed him at first. He cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry. Did you just ask me to take a vacation? You¡­ you do recall how¡­ badly¡­ thest one went?¡±


    ¡°Stop! That wasn¡¯t an issue with taking time off. That entire affair was the product of the insidious maniptions of a Mahrell Drun Prime! Who is now dead! Jack. You more than anyone know life moves forward. You cannot and must not allow yourself to fear what lies ahead. You also know we won¡¯t put you in harm¡¯s way, ever again. You mean too much to all of us!¡± the Queen eximed.


    He nodded and looked to the windows. The climate on Altaria was stable and consistent so the view out his window rarely varied by much. This allowed his sense of time to sometimes feel like it was standing still. But he knew, as Elissa just said, life moves forward, regardless of our wishes and desires. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.


    ¡°What-¡± He began again. ¡°Is the vacation the favor you need?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No, what I actually need is for you to visit a colony world of ours. The is called Chrystan. It¡¯s ours only because it resides deep within the Altarian region of space. No Altarians live there as its climate isn¡¯t really suitable to us. It¡¯s a world of perpetual winter,¡± she exined.


    ¡°Wait, if no Altarians live there why am I going?¡± he asked.


    Karrel picked up the story. ¡°The is popted by the Shreen. Hundreds of years ago the sun above their original home began to show dramatic, sudden, and unexinable signs of instability. It was suspected that the Allsa Komanae were somehow involved as Shreen was close to their territory. The popce of the needed to be evacuated but their requirements for survival were so particr none of the worlds in the Gate Network had a suitable offering. The Tik scoured the records of alls located by all races and found a reference to an icy ball we had located and written off as unsuitable. They approached us and we immediately offered Chrystan to the Shreen. The Tik and the Altarians evacuated the entire popce from the Shreen home world to Chrystan taking with them everything they could save. Only months after thest group was evacuated the sun red and consumed the.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever met a Shreen before,¡± Jack noted, curious in spite of his earlier anxiety. Queen Elissa was smiling fondly at him.


    ¡°They don¡¯t leave their new home. Ever. They¡¯ve actually found it to be more hospitable than their original home. It isn¡¯t brutally cold, has a more stable orbit around a young sun, is geologically stable, has plenty of geothermal energy, and the resources are easier to ess. The Shreen themselves aren¡¯t what you¡¯d call a very adventurous people. Homebodies is a better description of their type. They do trade with the other worlds of the Gate Network but only through brokers,¡± Elissa offered.


    ¡°Sounds like a snowy utopia. Why do you need an Altarian Ambassador to visit them?¡± he asked.


    Elissa shared another look with Karrel who chose to answer. ¡°We¡¯ve received word, rumors really, of unrest. We¡¯d like you to go as our official diplomat to speak with them to carefully and discreetly determine the source of this unrest so we can figure out if there is anything we can and should do to ease their minds.¡±

 91

    ¡°It is not our intention to interfere with their society. They¡¯ve had a stable government for as long as they¡¯ve been on Chrystan. We¡¯re just¡­ concerned as close neighbors. Go, meet with their Queen and King. Speak with the cab members and walk amongst the people. The Shreen are really nice. It¡¯s distressing to hear this stability may be in jeopardy,¡± Elissa requested. ¡°They have amazing hot spring resorts. You like snow, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Jack chuckled at the pleading tone in Elissa¡¯s voice. ¡°I don¡¯t dislike it.¡± He thought for a moment. It had been years since he went skiing. It might be fun to do it again. ¡°These resorts. Do they offer skiing?¡±


    ¡°Skiing? What¡¯s that?¡± Elissa asked.


    ¡°Obviously, you¡¯re no snow bunny,¡± Jack teased as he did a search on hisputer filtering by Earth sports and found a vid. He spun his screen and yed the vid showing a man carving his way down a mountainside in fresh powder snow up to his waist.


    ¡°Oh! How is he moving so gracefully and fast through the snow!¡± Karrel eximed. ¡°Ah! What¡¯s that on his feet!¡± she yelped as the skier in the vid leapt over a small tree.


    Jack froze the vid. He pointed to the long skis. ¡°These are skis. Long very slippery boards which support the weight of the skier on the snow and allow him to move through it quickly.¡±


    ¡°The Shreen haverge wide feet for walking on snow. They wouldn¡¯t fit on these narrow things.¡± Karrel said.


    ¡°I guess that answers the question of will they have skiing at the resort,¡± he said and bothdies shook their heads.


    He thought for a moment then pulled up a different vid. Nordic skiing was also fun and didn¡¯t require a mechanism to get you back to the top of the hill.


    ¡°Is this skiing too?¡± Elissa asked.


    ¡°Yes, this is a different kind but I also enjoyed it back on Earth. If you¡¯re sending me to a winter I want to do some skiing. This kind is easier to do without the resort having to prepare anything,¡± he answered.


    ¡°Does this mean you¡¯ll go?¡± Elissa asked.


    ¡°Have I ever refused you anything?¡± he asked with a raised eyebrow.


    She just grinned widely.


    ¡°Are you going to order some skis for yourself?¡± Karrel asked with a smile.


    Jack looked at the two women. ¡°No, I have to be fitted for skis at a shop that sells them.¡±


    They lost their smiles. ¡°That means-¡±


    ¡°A visit to Earth first.¡± He wondered if Queen Elissa would cancel her request but he saw a crafty look appear in her eyes.


    ¡°Challenge epted. Be at the Gate Terminal in two hours for your trip to Earth,¡± she said with a smile as Karrel looked at her in worry.


    Jack looked at her in surprise. ¡°Today?¡±


    ¡°As of this morning you are on a Diplomatic mission with a few days of vacation. Karrel will cover for you in the Embassy. Your Trade office appointments have already been shifted until you return,¡± Elissa said.


    Jack blinked in surprise. ¡°Will I get time to pack before you push me out into the snow?¡±


    They chuckled evilly.


    >>>>>>>


    Jack hadn¡¯t traveled by Gate since the one visit to the Gate Network headquarters after his kidnapping to speak with the special council about the fate of the Allsa Komanae. Since then he¡¯d stayed close to home. As he stood in the terminal he let thest of the chills run down his spine. He¡¯d push through this. He held faith in Elissa¡¯s promise not to ever send him into danger. She¡¯d let him pick the destination on Earth this time and he¡¯d worked out the time of day and season so he was assured to have enough time to shop and the ce should have a store catering to his needs.


    He had on a green hoodie, his ck one having been shredded by his horns. He had his protective caps on but he would pull the hood up only when they went through the Gate.


    He was waiting on his escort. The Queen said she¡¯d check to see if his favorite team was avable and he smiled when he saw Gee and Bal walk in the door. They smiled back to him. He wanted so badly to pull them into a hug but he saw they were on duty so it was all business. They gestured for him to walk up to the customs and security agent. He gave their destination and were given the Gate ID.


    They made their way into the Gate room and he pulled his hood up to hide his horns. Then they walked through the mirror surface. Jack felt just the slightest tingle and he was in Stockholm, Sweden on Earth. He marvelled once more at the simplicity of such an action and the magnitude of its significance. The Gates really were the most amazing invention ever! He looked around and froze when he saw the smiling faces. Here was Queen Elissa¡¯s answer to his challenge.


    Tall, muscr, and truly imposing in hermando gear, with a nasty assault weapon over her shoulder and knives strapped to her thighs, Major Cha¡¯Risa Ash stood front and center. Next to her a tall, slim redhead with a perpetual crooked smile, Captain Nann Graf nodded to him. Two almost identical, solidly built greying brush cuts carrying nastier looking assault weapons, Corporal Leo Orlov and Corporal Maxim Volkov grinned widely at him.


    Finally, thest member of their team, a shiny Tik hovered at their side. Tik were neutral, always, and didn¡¯t take roles in the military. This meant this particr Tik was Lieutenant Ray Sharif. The first and only sentient AI created from a human mind. The Tik saved him and gave him a Tik body to preserve his mind as the matrix it was built on was degrading.


    ¡°Oh my god! I didn¡¯t expect to see you guys here!¡± Jack eximed happily.


    Cha¡¯Risa grinned and shook his hand. ¡°We were in the neighborhood, London to be precise, when the request came through from a certain Queen to take care of her special package. Who could pass up a task like that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so great to see you all! How have you been doing?¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Really good! We just got back from hunting some smugglers,¡± Nann said with a grin and the two men shared her delight but on them the grin looked a little bloodthirsty.


    ¡°Ray, is our transport ready?¡± Cha¡¯Risa asked.


    ¡°It will be at the door when we arrive,¡± he answered.


    ¡°Any chatter?¡±


    ¡°No Major. No indication that our presence has been noted at all.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    With a nod they made their way to the front of the building and stepped outside just as a small bus pulled up. They stepped inside, Jack spoke an address into the mic, and were moving back out into traffic in seconds.


    ¡°Do you have to get a security detail escort like this every time you shop?¡± Ray asked Jack.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been back on Earth since¡­ then,¡± Jack answered.


    ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± the man in the Tik body said.


    Jack shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I had to get back on the horse sometime.¡±


    ¡°Where are we taking you today?¡± Cha¡¯Risa asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s an outfitter for sporting goods I read about. I need to get fitted for Nordic skis. The clothes and all the gear,¡± Jack said, suddenly feeling silly for having themando team as escort on a shopping trip.


    ¡°Us as well,¡± Gee offered.


    Jack looked at Gee and Bal in surprise.


    ¡°Did you not know that we were going with you?¡± Gee asked.


    ¡°No! Nobody mentioned it! I was told there are no other Altarians there. Too cold. Are you sure-¡±


    ¡°We will be fine,¡± Gee assured him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they will have any shoes that will fit your hooves,¡± Jack said looking down.


    ¡°We will find something and make a custom solution before we leave,¡± Bal said, scanning the traffic outside the window.


    Twenty minutester they pulled into a side street next to a busy sporting goods store. Themando team got out first and indicated the coast was clear.


    Feeling more ridiculous with each passing moment Jack made his way inside with his jet ck escorts. Naturally heads turned in the shop, from customers and staff.


    An older man in the shops uniform approached and said something in Swedish then shook his head. ¡°My apologies, Ambassador Danner. Can I help you with something?¡±


    Identity out of the bag and he really had to admit the hoodie thing just wasn¡¯t cutting it anymore, Jack pushed it back and smiled at the man. ¡°Yes, hi, I was hoping I might get outfitted for some Nordic skis, poles, shoes, gaiters, thermal wear, bodysuit, the works. My friends here need the same.¡±


    ¡°Certainly Ambassador!¡± the man said with a delighted smile.


    ¡°Please, call me Jack.¡±


    The man nodded with a smile and gestured for them to follow. Jack was aware of each and every eyeball turned in his direction.


    The man took time exining their options and took weight and measurements of all three of them. Due to Gee and Bal¡¯s petite natures they were being outfitted with skis for teens. Jack¡¯s options were more limited due to how heavy he was. Finally they made their selections and the man moved off to get the order started as they tried on thermal clothing. Jack insisted they all get wicking undergarments and then wondered how that worked for furred beings. Item after item went into their baskets.

 92

    asionally one of themando team would wander by and give him a nod to let him know they were on the case. It did make him feel safe.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    As he sat on the bench a small boy approached him bravely so he gave the boy a smile.


    ¡°Are you a monster?¡± the little voice said.


    Jack smiled in surprise at the innocent question and saw the boy¡¯s mother, not too far away, gasp in dismay. He leaned forward to speak quietly. ¡°Only for my daughters and only when they ask me to be.¡±


    The boy¡¯s face lit up with a brilliant smile as he knew what that meant. His eyes went to therge horns and a small hand reached up to touch them. Jack just held still until the boy¡¯s curiosity was satisfied. He pulled his hand back and grinned at Jack as he ran back to his mother who was sending Jack a grateful smile. Jack just nodded to her with a smile of his own. He felt¡­ much better.


    Done with his shopping he saw the new skis came with bags to carry them and thanked the shop owner after he made his purchases. The man gave him a business card and looked at him hopefully. Jack smiled then posed for several pictures with the him and the staff who were super excited. The mother and her son got a picture as well. He and the Altarians then carried their purchases out to the bus, their silent escort scanning the street with their eyes.


    Comfortably seated in the bus once more as it headed back to the Gate Terminal Gee and Bal were discussing the shoes they bought and how they could be customized. They did this while scanning the roads around them.


    ¡°All quiet Major, aside from a local radio station reporting on the surprise visit at a neighborhood shop from the Ambassador.¡± Ray called out.


    She nodded and turned to Jack. ¡°You can call on us any time you need to visit Earth.¡±


    Jack looked her in the eye and saw she was still carrying her guilt for letting him get taken from the. He¡¯d already exined he didn¡¯t hold them ountable but he wasn¡¯t going to dredge that up again so he just smiled and nodded.


    ¡°Maybe a dance club in Russia next time?¡± he said mischievously seeing Corporal Orlov¡¯s eyes widen in delight.


    ¡°Gods, no!¡± Maxim moaned causing the others to chuckle.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know good music,¡± Leo huffed.


    They made it back to the Terminal with no fuss and went inside. Jack shook their hands and saw Bal doing a trade with Maxim. She handed him a small box and the man¡¯s face lit up in a broad smile. In turn he handed her a set of three deadly looking, ceramic throwing knives. She gave him a rare smile for the items.


    Jack saw the Major doing her best to pretend she hadn¡¯t witnessed the exchange. ¡°Thank you very much for your protection. It did make me feel much more at ease. I¡¯d like to be able toe back to Earth more often.¡±


    ¡°You have an open invitation. As I said, call on us anytime!¡± Cha¡¯Risa replied.


    Waving at the team Jack followed the Altarians down to their Gate and stepped through to find themselves back on Altaria.


    When they reached the exit Gee stopped Jack. ¡°We will meet back here tomorrow morning at 10AM. Wear your¡­ what did you call them?¡±


    ¡°Long Johns,¡± Jack smiled.


    ¡°Yes, wear the warmest ones. I understand they will be having a snow storm when we arrive on Chrystan. It will be cold.¡± She shuddered.


    ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t want you two doing anything you don¡¯t want to do! I know Altarians don¡¯t like snowy conditions-¡±


    ¡°We are going,¡± Bal said with a frown.


    Jack held up his hands in surrender. ¡°Fine! We will see you both at 10AM.¡±


    ¡°We?¡± Gee asked.


    He looked at their curious faces. ¡°Yes, we. I¡¯m not going on my vacation alone. I¡¯m going to a resort so I¡¯m going to invite Diana, SennLann, and¡­ well, not Eve as Joseph is ill but the other two and the kids.¡±


    Gee shared a knowing smile with Bal. ¡°We will see you tomorrow at 10AM.¡±


    Jack watched them walk away feeling more than a little annoyed. They didn¡¯t know what thedies in his life were going to say.


    ¡°What do you mean, no?¡± Jack said incredulously to Diana and SennLann at the dinner table that night.


    Diana looked at him while she fed Emily. ¡°Jack, I¡¯m originally from California. Southern California. I don¡¯t do snow. I¡¯m certainly not taking Emily to such an inhospitable ce!¡±


    SennLann was nodding in agreement. ¡°Phem Kalos is a hot ce. I do not like being cold. I will stay here with our daughters.¡±


    Jack pouted. Eve looked at him with sad eyes with the sleeping child in her arms. ¡°I cannot go-¡±


    Jack held up his hands. ¡°No, I get it. Sorry. I understand you can¡¯t leave Joseph. That¡¯s fine. I just thought one or both of you might like toe. It¡¯s ok. I won¡¯t be alone. Gee and Bal will be there with me.¡±


    Thedies rxed and he sighed.


    That night when everyone had gone to sleep Eve slipped into Jack¡¯s bed and cuddled up to him. He typically went to bed alone but most nights he¡¯d get a visitor¡­ or two. It wasn¡¯t always for sex. Sometimes they just needed thefort of another¡¯s touch or in this case they knew he did.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I have not been here for youtely,¡± Eve whispered.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t apologize for that. I understand that Joseph needs you now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also sorry we can¡¯t join you on your vacation.¡±


    ¡°Again, you don¡¯t have to apologize. It¡¯s fine. I am going to miss you though!¡± he said kissing her forehead as she snuggled closer to him.


    Jack fell asleep wrapped up in Eve¡¯s arms and her love. It was just what he needed.


    >>>>>


    The ground raced past under his pounding feet as Jack explored the pathways beyond his neighborhood in the early hours. There were very few others out exercising at this time of day and none would have been able to keep up with him. He was breathing like a bellows and his body felt good. His music yer yed the tone indicating it was time to head back.


    He took the next path that veered to the right and smiled when up ahead he saw the opening to a single track path through the woods. It was a beautiful narrow earth path that hugged the side of a gently burbling brook weaving between the trees. As he turned off the paved path to slip into the forest he stopped his music and listened to the sounds of nature, his breathing and the muted thuds of his feet on the soil as he nimbly ran on the twisting trail. He was entering a state of Zen where running was life and life was running and he was one with the trail and-


    FUCK-


    In the split second before the collision Jack leapt sideways to avoid trampling three male Altarians who were suddenly standing in the center of the path facing him. His new vector drove him horns first into the trunk of one of the nearby trees.


    Cr-CR-CRACK!


    Jack fell back on his ass on the hillside, dazed by the sudden stop. His vision was filled with stars which gradually faded. He heardughter and looked to the trail where the three males were enjoying his addled state.


    ¡°Look at the stupid look on its face! How incredibly dull witted it is.¡±


    ¡°Not much more than a beast really.¡±


    ¡°Ugh! Look how shiny and big his muscles are!¡±


    The first two looked at the third. ¡°And it smells funny!¡± number three quickly added.


    Turning back to him the middle one snorted. ¡°You didn¡¯t even see us step out onto the trail in front of you. Do you run with your eyes closed?¡±


    With that bachelor number one kicked a little dirt onto Jack¡¯s chest with bachelor two following suit. ¡°Stick to the paved paths, smelly human! The wooded paths are for civilized beings!¡± One said with a sneer.


    With that the three males went on their merry way enjoying the sounds and sweet scents of the forest. Jack lifted a hand to his head and when he pulled it back he froze as his fingers were dripping with something red. He stared at his fingers then he realized it wasn¡¯t blood. He sniffed it and noticed the scent seemed extra sweet then it was all around him. He took a deep sniff and smelled¡­ GowGow juice. He looked down and saw his hand was resting in a pool of the sticky red sap which was bleeding from the injured tree he¡¯d run into.


    Crk-CRIK-CRACK! BOOM-boom-boom!


    Jack rolled away from the base of the tree just as the structural integrity of the trunk failed spectacrly. The damaged area had sheared off where he¡¯d struck it, the top sixty feet of the trunk suddenly dropping five feet to m into the ground and bounce. Jack looked up and saw the canopy was pulling loose of the surrounding trees. It began to lean towards the gap between the trees. Towards the Altarians.


    ¡°Oh¡­ fuck.¡±


    Jack leapt to his feet and dodged around the slowly elerating trunk to sprint down the trail.


    ¡°RUN!¡± he yelled.


    ¡°No, we won¡¯t because civil-¡± Bachelor number one said haughtily as he turned but his voice stuck in his throat when he saw the tree toppling towards him.


    ¡°RUN, YOU SILLY BASTARDS! RUN!¡±


    Squealing in fright the three began charging ahead to outrun the falling tree. They could hear the smaller branches of the top snapping and popping. That¡¯s the section Jack really didn¡¯t want to be in when it struck the ground.


    The canopy of the GowGow tree is where the GowGow seed pods lived. Fist sized, barbed grenades filled with extremely sticky goo. They exploded on impact tossing their hooked seed everywhere. Even if the barbs missed you the seeds would stick to any surface. Getting the sticky residue off was apparently a painful experience.


    Jack quickly caught up to the Altarians but number three who¡¯d been out front tripped and fell. His friends trampled him in their haste but didn¡¯t stop. Whimpering, number three held his arms up to be picked up like a child.


    Scooping up the crying male Jack put on a burst of speed to dodge around the other Altarians by surging up into the forest and back down onto the path. He had a number of scratches on him from this move but now he was able to pour on the speed as he could hear the crashing sound behind him. The Altarian in his arms clung to him and shrieked in fear. Jack burst out of the trail onto the paved path and kept on running as the top branches struck the ground with a mighty crash.


    Jack gradually slowed and then looked back.


    There was no sign of the two other Altarians.


    Jack stayed back as he could hear the asional pop of a seedpod bursting. He gently set the male back on his feet. ¡°Do you have a? You¡¯d better call for an ambnce-¡±


    ¡°HUMAN!¡±


    They froze as they heard the voice of rageing from somewhere inside the trees.


    ¡°Are you guys ok?¡± Jack called out.


    ¡°I¡­ HATE¡­ you,¡± the voice petered out into a whimper.


    ¡°Yeah, I get that a lot from you guys,¡± Jack said to himself then looked to the one standing next to him. ¡°How about you? Do you hate me too?¡±


    ¡°No! You saved me!¡± it cried.


    ¡°Why did you guys jump out in front of me?¡± Jack asked.

 93

    The male pouted and looked back at the mass of tangled branches. When he looked back at Jack there was a new strength in his eyes. ¡°My name is Numell. I apologize for participating in the childish prank my former associates, Darness and Jolleth attempted to y on you. We heard youing as your feet make a deep thumping sound when you run. Darness said we needed to hide and step out to make you either knock us down so we could have you charged with assault or you injure yourself in some way.¡± He looked ashamed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m weak. I let them make these decisions for me.¡±


    There was a whoosh sound from above as an Altarian Security Ministry vehicle swooped in tond next to the path. Gee and Bal stepped out, nced at the fallen tree, heard the pitiful cries from within the branches, and red in his direction.


    ¡°Numell, here¡¯s your opportunity to show real strength. Give a statement to these officers exining what you just told me. Take responsibility for your actions as Darness and Jolleth should but probably won¡¯t. Strength of character is built this way,¡± Jack said with an earnest expression. Numell nodded shakily then pulled his shoulders back and marched over to the agents. Gee recorded his statement while Bal came over to speak to him.


    ¡°Are you injured?¡± she asked seeing the red sap on his horns and in his hair.


    ¡°No. I clocked my horns against that tree really hard but I was only dazed for a short time.¡±


    Bal looked at him with wide eyes then looked back at the fallen tree. She turned back to him. ¡°You knocked down a GowGow tree?¡± Then her eyes went up to his horns. She pulled a tissue from her gown and reached up to wipe the surface of his horn. Her expression froze and she rubbed harder. He pulled back in rm.


    ¡°What? What¡¯s happened? Are they broken?¡±


    ¡°No! No, they are not damaged¡­¡± Bal said her voice tapering off as she stared.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be good,¡± Jack muttered. He poked Bal to get her attention. ¡°What are you two doing here?¡±


    ¡°There was a minor seismic event in this location and we knew you were out running so we naturally assumed you might be involved,¡± she said with her trademark scowl.


    ¡°Not my fault this time¡­ well, felling the tree yes but they caused it. Wait, did you say seismic?¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°An initialrge spike, followed in rapid session by two smaller spikes then a long drawn out thump which was the final impact of the GowGow tree clearly,¡± she exined as her eyes slipped back up to his horns. ¡°You have lost your protective caps.¡±


    ¡°Dammit! They must have been knocked loose in the impact. I keep losing them!¡± Jack growled.


    Emergency vehicles were arriving but they kept their distance from the tree out of concern of unexploded seed pods. Gee joined them and Jack waved at Numell as the male walked away.


    Jack looked back to see Gee staring at his horns with her mouth open.


    ¡°For all that is good and holy would someone please tell me what¡¯s happened to my horns now?¡±


    ¡°Uh, they¡­ it looks like they have GowGow juice on them. You need to wash that off. And the caps are missing,¡± Gee said.


    ¡°Oh, is that all?¡± He sighed. ¡°Can we go now? I just have to take a shower and get dressed. I¡¯m packed and ready to go otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Just you?¡± Gee said with a small smile.


    Jack pouted at her. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Ok, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Pop! ¡°AAAhhh¡­ hate you¡­¡± a voice cried out.


    ¡°A new enemy is born,¡± Jack sighed to the two agents.


    ¡°No, Darness and Jolleth won¡¯t be a problem. I¡¯ve filed the report.¡± Gee said and they boarded their vehicle. It lifted and flew them back to Jack¡¯s building.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you shortly at the Terminal,¡± Jack called out as he exited the vehicle. Gee nodded and they lifted off. Jack made it inside, up the elevator and inside his unit without bumping into anyone. As he entered his apartment that was a different story. The TV was on, showing the scene of the tree felling and they¡¯d been watching. Three females rushed over to see him, all of them stopped to stare up at his horns.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Jack said, his patience at an end. He marched into his bathroom and looked in the mirror.


    Red. Blood red to be exact. The sap from the tree had sshed over his horns. They looked like they were streaked with blood.


    ¡°GOD DAMMIT!¡± he yelled.


    He grabbed a scrub brush, stepped into the shower and set the temperature as hot as he could tolerate. Lathering up the brush he ran it back over his horns again and again roughly, careful not to get too close to the tips. When his arms were shaking with fatigue he put the brush down, rinsed, quickly washed his hair and body and turned off the taps.


    He stepped out into a steamy room and opened the window to let the heat out. He dried himself off, buffing the silver cor. Then he roughly buffed his horns until he heard the ripping sound of the tips tearing through the towel.


    ¡°Shit,¡± he grumbled as he pulled back the tatters. He noted there was no red on the towel but the scrub brush was a little pink. Wiping the steam from the mirror with the ripped towel he looked up in dismay.


    His matt ck horns with thin white veins were now shiny ck horns with thin red veins and thicker streaks of red from the midpoint to the tips which werepletely red. A deep, dark, blood red.


    He reached up and slid his fingers across the surface and they felt¡­ slick, like he¡¯d added a protectiveyer of clear coat varnish to them and ran a floor buffer on his head. His horns absolutely gleamed.


    ¡°Fuck me¡­¡± he moaned.


    He thought he looked like a crazy person- no! A homicidal, crazy person! All he needed was some bits of flesh and dripping blood from his horns and he¡¯d be set. At least the red stuff had only stuck to his horns. His hair and skin were free of the substance and its color.


    ¡°Jack? Are you ok? Can Ie in?¡± a gentle voice called through the door.


    He realized he hadn¡¯t brought in any clothes and there were likely kids outside the door. He wrapped the ripped towel around his waistpleting the crazy look and opened the door.


    ¡°Oh! Oh my!¡± Eve¡¯s eyes immediately went up and she gasped quietly. ¡°They¡¯re beautiful!¡±


    ¡°Beautiful?¡± he croaked.


    ¡°Well¡­ in a raw, instinctive way. I- I don¡¯t have the words to describe it,¡± she sighed.


    He actually felt a little better. He took her face in his hands and kissed her deeply and she trembled in his grip.


    When he pulled back she was breathing hard and he heard a soft moan from the door to his right. He looked to see the lust in Diana¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Do you have time?¡± Eve whispered.


    He nced at the clock and growled. He didn¡¯t. ¡°No. I¡¯m runningte. Dammit,¡± he said softly.


    Eve pushed his chest gently. ¡°Get dressed. We¡¯ll be fine until you get back.¡±


    He nodded stiffly. ¡°Do I have any more protective caps for my horns?¡±


    Eve shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a pair of mine.¡± She ducked out the bedroom door around Diana who was still clinging to the door jamb eyeing him hungrily and a little desperately. He remembered she had apulsive attraction to dangerous mates. Damn.


    She slipped inside the door, closed and locked it. ¡°Jack? Please?¡± she begged pitifully.


    His own lust red. He didn¡¯t have time but she was sliding her pants down and turned to present her curvy ass to him. She was so lovely and wanted him so badly.


    He tore away his towel and dropped to his knees to run his tongue roughly over her pussy. He pulled on her hips, arching her back as he drove his tongue deep inside her wetness.


    ¡°OH FUCK, YES!¡± she cried out.


    Before she could prepare Jack stood and shoved two fingers into her pussy, fucking her with them as her mouth dropped open and her eyes closed tight. He rubbed his slick fingers over his cock and drove it deep on the first thrust. He sucked the remaining nectar from his fingers as he pped his pelvis against her ass hard and fast. He grabbed one of her big tits in one hand and squeezed it, tugging on the nipple as his other hand gathered up her long, raven hair.


    Jack could feel her shaking uncontrobly as he overloaded her body and mind.


    ¡°Jack! Oh fuck Jack! Yes! Take me!¡± she pleaded quietly as he spanked her ass with his pelvis. His thrusting started to bump her against the door as she began to lose control of her muscle tone.


    He was right there and so was she. He pressed her body against the door and changed to short, hard rapid thrusts as he bit down gently on her shoulder, the side of his horn pressing against her temple.


    He heard her suddenly suck in a gasp as his ¡®alien¡¯ nature tripped her xenophilia. She reached up and grabbed the horn on the other side of his head and her body spasmed and mped down on his cock as he drove himself deep onest time. Her body sucked and milked his cock as she squeezed him so tightly.


    Diana eventually released her grip on his horn and braced herself against the door panting heavily as he withdrew from her body.


    Breathing hard, Jack looked once more at the clock, cursed, and grabbed his clothes to duck into the washroom once more. When he came back out Diana was gone and Eve was standing there with the caps in her hand. They were the gold ones she¡¯d had when she was on Allsa Komanae. He looked at them hesitantly then ducked his head down so she could put them on him. That done he kissed her once more and she pushed him back with a grin on her lips.

 94

    He grabbed his suitcase and the ski bag and rushed out into the living room. SennLann jumped up to give him a kiss. The kids were all ying in the living room and were deep in y mode. Zaina and Adina spotted the new color on his horns and squealed excitedly. They rushed over and leapt up into his arms to climb onto his shoulders to touch the color. He felt them both sliding their clever fingers over the shiny surface.


    ¡°So pretty Papa!¡± they purred in unison. The silky texture obviously triggering their unity.


    ¡°Thank you! Papa has to go so down you go,¡± he said happily.


    They scrambled down and gave his cheeks a kiss on the way by.


    He bent down and gave Emily and Joseph a kiss and they went back to ying.


    Jack looked around for Diana but she was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok Jack. I¡¯ll let her know you said goodbye,¡± Eve said gently.


    Frowning he nodded and rushed out of his apartment lugging his stuff with him.


    He normally spent an hour or so with Diana after she had one of her episodes just to ensure she knew he was there for her but today¡­ he sighed. Eve would have to bring her back to herself.


    There was a taxi waiting for him and he jumped in. The flight to the Gate Terminal was short but when he rushed in he saw two impatient looking ebony Altarians ring back at him. Their res faded as they took in the new look of his horns.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Gee gasped.


    ¡°I did what you told me to do! I washed them. The damn stuff hardened and went all smooth!¡±


    ¡°Cold water? You washed them in cold water?¡± she asked calmly.


    Jack blinked at Gee. ¡°What? No, I took a hot shower¡­¡±


    The two Altarians shared a pained look.


    ¡°So I should have used cold water?¡± he asked in exasperation. ¡°How the hell was I supposed to know that?¡±


    ¡°We arete! Can we go now?¡± Bal said with a partial scowl as her eyes kept slipping up to his gleaming ck and red horns.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    They grabbed their suitcases and ski bags and walked up to the customs and security agent.


    ¡°Oh my god!¡± the agent gasped gawking at his horns.


    Jack looked at Gee. ¡°This isn¡¯t permanent is it?¡± Gee just shook her head so Jack wasn¡¯t sure if she was answering him or was just disappointed in him. Again. He pouted.


    Bal pped a palm on the countertop and the agent jumped. She apologized and asked them their destination.


    ¡°Chrystan,¡± Bal said tersely.


    The agent¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°Chrystan?¡± she asked in disbelief.


    ¡°Diplomatic visit,¡± Jack offered and she went all dreamy eyed when she faced him again.


    ¡°Yes, thest Gate on the left,¡± she purred to him and he smiled at her.


    His escort pushed him away from the desk and set course for their Gate.


    ¡°Wait! Should we put on our warm coats before we leave?¡±


    ¡°Chrystan¡¯s Gate Terminal should be warm enough and we¡¯ll change when we get there,¡± Gee exined.


    Jack hadn¡¯t had time to do any research on the or the people and felt totally unprepared. He froze in ce and the two security agents looked back at him in frustration.


    ¡°This entire trip feels off. It¡¯s too rushed. I¡¯m not prepared! I don¡¯t know the Shreen! I might do something embarrassing or diplomatically disastrous! What if I pick my nose and that turns out to be a deration of war!¡±


    ¡°You pick your nose?¡± Bal asked with a frown.


    ¡°No! I¡¯m just saying I might make some innocuous gesture that they mistake for an insult.¡±


    ¡°Picking your nose in front of someone is rude on every and to all races.¡± Bal exined in a matter-of-fact tone.


    ¡°Forget I said anything about nose picking!¡± Jack barked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about such things with the Shreen. They are a very rxed and tolerant people. You may be yourself with them. That shouldn¡¯t cause too much chaos.¡± Gee said dryly.


    Jack took a deep breath and got his nerves back under control. He nodded to the two agents and they continued on.


    As they walked up to the mirror surface carrying their tall ski bags Jack thought they looked like a family just going skiing. That made him feel better. He smiled at that thought and wondered what kind of winter wondend they¡¯d be stepping into on the other side. A brief tingleter Jack looked around with a weird feeling of deja vu. The room was identical to the one they just left. There was no castles of ice and howling winds. The white domed ceiling was the same non-descript Gate room as before. He felt a little disappointed.


    They walked to the customs and security agent and Jack perked up. Here was his first Shreen in person.


    It was sitting inside a ss booth and chilly air was pouring out of the little window.


    ¡°Name, Department, and reason for your visit,¡± the being droned then looked up. Eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Jack Danner, Altarian Ambassador. Uh, diplomatic visit with a little skiing thrown in?¡±


    ¡°Jack Danner.¡± The furred being¡¯srge eyes looked up. ¡°Ah, the horny one.¡±


    Gee snorted as Jack frowned at her.


    ¡°Horned one. I¡¯m travelling with my security escort Gee and Bal.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s in the skinny bags?¡± the agent asked.


    ¡°Our skis,¡± he answered and got a nk look. ¡°They are long boards we attach to our shoes to glide quickly through snow for fun.¡±


    Furry brows rose then the being shrugged. It pointed to the doors at the far side of the room and went back to ignoring them.


    They made their way to the door but instead of opening to a vista of crystal spires and an endless expanse of white Jack saw a wide rectangr corridor sloping down as it went underground. It wasn¡¯t even made of ice, just a smooth white stone. They saw a Shreen walking quickly up the slope towards them.


    Jack was now getting his first good look at one of the native poption in motion and not mostly hidden inside a custom¡¯s booth. He took time to familiarize himself with its distinct characteristics. This one was tall, maybe a head taller than he was. The front side of its body seemed to be covered with a dense, felt like fur. A creamy white with darker tan rosettes and stripes. The back side may have been covered with long fur as he could see it swish around on her arms and legs. This fur was almost reddish brown. As Karrel had said their feet were wide andpletely covered with the longer fur until it looked like the being was wearing big furry boots.


    As he¡¯d seen on the customs agent this one hadrge eyes, a deep grey color, and a ck triangr patch which was the nose above a wide mouth. Its teeth were two grinding tes which just looked like wide bands of white teeth but with no gaps, at all. Tall, furry pointed ears projected upwards. The one approaching was only wearing a kind of kilt around its waist which went from hip to mid-thigh.


    As it began to slow to a stop before them Gee looked to Jack who had begun to move forward lifting his hand. Gee blocked his arm with her elbow.


    ¡°Sorry, I just recalled. Keep your hands to yourself, at all times. Touching hands is only for sex,¡± she said with a quiet voice.


    Jack choked back his outraged response as he¡¯d almost sexually assaulted someone with his first greeting. His face flushed with embarrassment and he stepped back as he watched Gee step forward to press her forehead to the Shreen¡­ female.


    He wasn¡¯t sure how he knew but his gut was telling him this was a female. The previous one he¡¯d met had been male if he had to guess.


    Bal mirrored Gee¡¯s actions then it was his turn and he stepped forward with a nervous smile and noted she appeared¡­ excited.


    After they pressed foreheads she nced up in wonder at his horns then addressed him. ¡°Hello! Wee to Elleltris, the capital city of Chrystan. I am Tanz,¡± she said in a higher pitched voice than he¡¯d expected for sorge a being.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little nervous myself,¡± he blurted with a self-conscious grin.


    ¡°Jack, that¡¯s her name. Tanz,¡± Gee corrected him gently.


    His face dropped. ¡°Oh! I¡¯m so sorry! I hate to admit but I came here unprepared. I know nothing of the Shreen so I apologize in advance if I make some socially inappropriate mistakes.¡± He red at Gee to remind her of herst second reminder.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite all right. We¡¯re a tolerant species. This you will learn quickly. We don¡¯t take offense without extreme provocation. Unlike one vile race who no longer exist due to your heroic actions!¡± she finished with a gush.


    He blinked at her in confusion.


    ¡°She speaks of the Allsa Komanae. The Shreen have the most personal of reasons to hate the Allsa Komanae.¡± Gee exined.


    ¡°Indeed! They stole our home from us!¡± Tanz nodded emphatically making the long fur sway.


    Jack realized his impression of Tanz¡¯s size was being fooled by the thick mane of long fur on her body. If he took that into ount she was actually rather slim, just tall and well furred.


    He looked at Gee. ¡°Does everyone know my involvement with their genocide?¡± he asked quietly.


    ¡°Such information proved to be impossible to contain,¡± Gee replied nonchntly as she seemed personally pleased it had been leaked so widely.


    ¡°We believe it was divine retribution, not genocide. Not that we are a religious people,¡± Tanz corrected with a smile.


    Jack wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that so he just smiled.


    ¡°I am the Queen¡¯s Facilitator. I will be your contact during your visit on Chrystan.¡± Tanz looked at therge bags they were holding. ¡°What are these?¡±


    ¡°Skis. We use them for gliding quickly over snow. For fun and exercise. I understand we will be spending some time at one of your hot spring resorts?¡± Jack asked and Tanz nodded. ¡°I hope to use them while we are there.¡±

 95

    ¡°Most definitely! The storm outside is expected to end in a day or so.¡± Tanz smiled. ¡°Tonight though we are throwing a dinner party for your visit so you may meet the Queen and the King in a less formal setting. This is something else you will discover about the Shreen. We don¡¯t insist on a lot of grandiose pageantry or ceremony.¡±


    Jack smiled gratefully. ¡°That sounds wonderful!¡±


    Tanz couldn¡¯t deny her curiosity any longer. ¡°Your magnificent horns, they look different from the image I just saw before I came to meet you. They look¡­¡± her words failed her.


    ¡°Shiny?¡± Jack offered but she shook her head still struggling to find the word. He sighed. ¡°Bloody and vicious?¡±


    ¡°YES! Wait- no. Aggressive? Something of that nature,¡± Tanz shook her head and just smiled at him. ¡°They are most impressive but they don¡¯t look like they did in the image.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well¡­ I had a little ident this morning. I was out running and to avoid colliding with someone I jumped aside and hit a tree. The tree sap stained my horns red. I¡¯m hoping it fades and goes back to the original color.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t hurt?¡± she asked in surprise.


    ¡°No, getting hit in the head doesn¡¯t seem to be as dangerous as it was before I grew these,¡± he said pointing up with a self-deprecating grin. ¡°I¡¯m much more hard headed these days.¡±


    She smiled back at him. ¡°Shall I take you to the pce?¡±


    Jack nodded and they followed her down the ramp. When they passed through the doors at the bottom Jack braced himself for an icy st but walked into a cool breeze instead. Not frigid but he could see how he would shortly find it to be ufortable. They were in a small¡­ parking lot with just two wheeled carts in it. One had seats for two and the other was longer with a cargo bed and seating for eight. Tanz gestured for them to put their bags on the back of therger vehicle and she strapped them down when they were done. Gee and Bal were leaning against Jack while they waited for Tanz. He looked down at them as he felt them shiver.


    When she turned from the vehicle she frowned in concern. ¡°My apologies for the temperature. I can see you¡¯re finding it to be a little too cool for yourfort. This is how we keep all of our living and working spaces. I¡¯ll get you some warm outerwear for your stay.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Jack said.


    She gestured for them to get onto the cart. She climbed up onto the front seat and Jack moved to follow her onto the passenger seat but Gee pulled him after her onto the second-row bench seat. Bal pushed him to the middle then tucked her body up against his as Gee pressed herself against his other side. Smiling gently down at them he pulled his arms up and over their shoulders and hugged them against him pulling them in tighter. Gee let a sigh slip from her lips as the heat from his torso soaked into her chilled body. She studiously looked away, avoiding his amused look.


    Tanz gave the cart their destination then turned in the seat to look back at them. She smiled at the Altarian¡¯s method of staying warm.


    The cart rolled back smoothly and moved them out into another long rectangr corridor of the same white stone that stretched off into the distance. Jack finally realized they were going to remain underground.


    Tanz saw his epiphany and grinned. ¡°Yes, we don¡¯t live on the surface. We like the cold but we¡¯ve adapted really well to living underground and it¡¯s so much easier to control the climate down here.¡±


    The tunnel they were gently rolling and bouncing through was brightly lit from evenly spaced domes in the ceiling. The walls werepletely covered with some kind of leafy nt life. Their oxygen scrubbers and suppliers.


    ¡°The pce?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s underground too. You were expecting a tall pointy structure built atop a mountain and made from ice perhaps?¡± she answered with a grin.


    He nodded with an embarrassed smile.


    ¡°Not practical at all but very dramatic. We actually considered building one and got so far as having an architect draw up ns but no one wanted to live or work in such a drafty building. Ice buildings make their own air currents. Pah,¡± Tanz snorted with a grin.


    The corridor continued to slope downwards gradually. ¡°How deep underground are we going?¡± Jack asked.


    Tanz¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I should have asked, do you have a fear of enclosed spaces?¡±


    ¡°What? Oh, no. I was just curious,¡± Jack rified. He looked to Gee and Bal and both shook their heads. They looked toasty and content.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Good. Well, the deepest we typically go is around thirty levels, most only being as tall as this one though we sometimes have much taller chambers. Any deeper and lighting the space isn¡¯t cost effective and we don¡¯t have nts that like growing that deep so air quality is at risk,¡± the Facilitator exined.


    They saw a brightly lit exit approaching. The road continued on but they were slowing. There was a fair amount of activity at the exit as well. Jack wondered if it was a weingmittee or some kind of festivity to celebrate their arrival. As they got closer the cart rolled into a parking lot and found a spot to recharge in. Once the engine switched off Tanz jumped off and untied their luggage.


    Jack had to nudge Bal to get her to disengage and move off the bench to go bet her bags. Gee stayed close to Jack until he slid off the bench then she was forced to get up and jump down to get her own bags.


    Carrying their stuff they walked through therge sliding ss doors into a market ce. Jack felt stupid for assuming they were there to see him. These beings were shopping for their daily needs or selling their produce or wares. The sights and sounds of the marketce brought Jack sweet memories of the times when he and his mother went to a local market to buy food.


    Everyone was wearing some variation of the kilt Tanz had on though some vendors were wearing aprons that went up to their chests as well.


    He finally caught a physical characteristic that seemed to differentiate the sexes. Males seemed to have vestigial fangs projecting slightly over their lower lip. The females did not.


    Outside of the nts for sale, almost every bit of open wall space housed the green nts he¡¯d seen in the corridor they¡¯d driven through.


    They made their way through the widene running down the middle of the space and people nodded at Tanz and she responded. She said a few words to various individuals on the way and Jack noticed some anxiety she seemed to be able to calm with a word or two. He also received his share of curious looks but none stopped them or interrupted them in any way.


    Beyond therge market ce they entered another vast chamber which again was filled with people going about their business. This was a shopping district. It almost reminded Jack of one of earth¡¯s mega malls except the products on disy had a more hand-made, craftsman quality to them. There wasn¡¯t a lot of tech for sale though the stores themselves used tech to track the transactions and to advertise their products. He saw a few people consulting their units for information but for the most part the Shreen just talked to each other directly. He witnessed some good natured haggling but that was the extent of the confrontational behavior he saw.


    It was true that some had stern expressions and moved about their business with a little extra haste but to Jack that just seemed normal for a crowd this size. Certainly it didn¡¯t hint at this unrest. Did it?


    Once more, Tanz was called out to and answered back as they made their way through the area. She was obviously well liked and respected.


    They finally exited the shopping district and passed through a wide circr court yard withnes leading off of it like spokes. Ahead of them were some very wide doors.


    ¡°The Royal Pce,¡± Tanz said proudly as she opened the doors and gestured for them to enter. Immediately inside the door was argending with a railing on the far edge. Off to either side of thending were curving ramps leading downwards. They moved closer to the railing and saw the space down below was a vast audience hall with a raised dais at the far side with two chairs. For the Queen and King Jack guessed. Rows of benches faced the two chairs and directly before the dais was a small podium where someone would stand to address the royal couple.


    The most spectacr thing about the room were the brilliantly colored and lit windows running from floor to ceiling. Jack grinned happily at how beautiful the colors sshing across the audience hall looked. He turned to smile at Tanz and he saw the delight in her own eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful!¡± he said.


    ¡°It is. Come on. I¡¯ll show you to your rooms,¡± she said moving towards the left hand ramp.


    ¡°We¡¯re staying in the pce?¡± Jack asked in surprise.


    Tanz looked at him in concern. ¡°You¡¯d rather not stay in the pce?¡±


    ¡°No, it would be lovely! You just surprised me,¡± he assured her.


    ¡°Special guests always stay in the pce, not that we get many. The dinner party will be in the great dining hall which is a few rooms over in that direction,¡± she pointed to the right side of the Audience hall. ¡°The royal apartment is up a few levels, and your amodations are a few chambers to the left.¡±


    They reached the base of the ramp and Jack looked up. Around the edges of the huge chamber the walls were formed with ridges and gussets. At the top it looked like the canopy of a tree and the bottom looked like roots. The whole room had an organic feel to it. Even the benches seemed to rise up out of the floor.


    ¡°No public audience with the royal couple today?¡± he asked and his smile slipped away when he saw a troubled look pass over the Facilitator¡¯s face. She quickly hid it behind a smile.


    ¡°No, they¡¯re¡­ taking a short break from that activity,¡± she exined but he could tell she was ufortable so he withheld his next question.


    Jack wondered if the Queen and King were too busy dealing with the unrest Elissa had asked him to investigate.


    Tanz led them through a corridor to the left and they passed a beautiful library and a lounge before they reached the guest suites. She took them down the hall to thest three doors.


    ¡°The rooms arergely identical in amenities so you can choose the arrangement of who gets which room as you like. I will go make arrangements to get you the warmer outerwear and will pick you up for the dinner party. The dress will be informal. There is no need to wear finery,¡± she informed them.

 96

    ¡°There are inner doors between the rooms. Do you need these unlocked?¡±


    ¡°No-¡± Jack began.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Gee and Bal insisted.


    ¡°I will take the first room and Bal will take the third. Jack will take the middle,¡± Gee exined.


    ¡°OK,¡± Tanz replied and opened the middle room¡¯s door. ¡°There are mechanical locking mechanisms on each front door which can be locked from the inside at night if that makes you feel more secure. The pce is the safest ce on the and the is a very safe ce.¡±


    She went to the inner ess doors and unlocked one on either side of the room. She pointed to the sliding panels at the far end of the room. ¡°The bed is behind the privacy screens. The cleansing facilities are behind the first door inside the room. You can press that button on the wall by the door to summon any kind of assistance you may need.¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    She looked at them with a smile. ¡°Is there anything you need right now?¡±


    Jack looked at the two Altarians who looked back at him and they all shook their heads.


    ¡°Ok, good! I wille pick you up in a few hours. You are wee to explore the pce if you like. The only off limits area is the royal apartments but doormen are there to prevent uninvited guests. You will get to meet the royal couple tonight.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much Tanz!¡± Jack said and she smiled as she leaned forward. He suddenly realized what she was doing and moved to gently touch his forehead to hers.¡± She repeated this with the Altarians then left the room.


    Gee and Bal immediately pulled Jack over to a wide couch and sat him down on the center of it. Then Bal rushed off to the bedroom while Gee settled herself on the couch next to Jack, lifting his arm to squeeze herself against his side. Bal returned with a nket. Jack lifted his other arm as Bal tucked herself against him. The two agents pulled the nket up to cover all of them.


    Jack felt them shivering against him so he put his arms around them and pulled them closer. They rested their faces against his chest to get the warmth radiating from him.


    ¡°How can you be so warm?!?¡± Gee grumbled.


    ¡°Do notin! He is the only heat source we have right now,¡± Bal grumbled back.


    ¡°I would have thought you two would have wanted to explore the pce right away, learn all the nooks and crannies,¡± he teased.


    ¡°We have memorized theyout of Elleltris,¡± Gee said cuddling in closer. ¡°Now hush. You should get some sleep as the party is likely to runte and you should be sharp when you meet with the royal couple.¡±


    Jack snorted quietly as he was sure they just wanted their heater to be still. So he was still and warm and soon they all dozed off.


    ¡­..


    As royal parties went, this one sucked.


    After the friendly wee he¡¯d received from Tanz and seeing how friendly everyone was, he was surprised by how stiff the royal couple behaved.


    The Queen was a beauty! Tall, with dark grey long fur on her reverse side and brilliant white fur with dark grey rosettes and stripes on her front side. Light grey eyes and a grace about her thatmanded respect. Jack thought she was also sad and hiding it poorly.


    The King was almost the pr opposite in coloration. His long fur was white and the short dense fur on his front was dark grey with white rosettes and stripes. His eyes were deep blue which was apparently a new color for the Shreen sinceing to Chrystan. Their environment and diet had changed and these changes were manifesting in new coloration in eyes and fur in some cases. Exciting times ahead!


    At the head table he was seated next to the King and Tanz was on the other side of the Queen. The royal couple wasn¡¯t speaking much to each other and the head table was drawing anxious looks from the other tables.


    The food had been unique and he¡¯d enjoyed it after being assured it was safe for human and Altarian physiologies.


    Jack was tempted to leap to his feet and break out his amazing disappearing napkin trick to try to pump some life into the party. He caught Gee¡¯s eye at the first table where she was sitting with some of the senior council members and their spouses. He pantomimed the beginning of his magic trick and she shook her head vigorously with wide anxious eyes so he slumped back in his chair and pouted.


    The servers came by and cleared away the tes. Music began to y and there was an almost palpable sense of relief as this appeared to indicate the meal was over. The Queen rose and walked away with Tanz in her wake. They seemed to be making their way over to a group of older females on the far side of the room.


    Jack heard the King sigh heavily and he caught him watching the Queen walking away.


    He couldn¡¯t take it anymore and leaned his head forward to catch the King¡¯s eye which swung back to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry your majesty if I¡¯m intruding but you seem a little sad. Would you like to talk about it?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°Your majesty? I haven¡¯t heard that one yet. People just use the title. Since we¡¯re both¡­ consorts of Queens, could you just use my name? It¡¯s Tyg.¡±


    Jack¡¯s hand twitched as he stopped himself from reaching to shake Tyg¡¯s hand. ¡°Yes, of course Tyg. Please call me Jack.¡±


    Tyg pushed his chair back and stood. ¡°I need a drink, Jack. Join me?¡±


    Jack stood as well. ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    They made their way down from the table towards a counter where guests were getting sweets and drinks. Tyg looked at the selection of bottles and frowned. ¡°Lars, where is the local brew?¡±


    A male standing beside the table gave the King a pained look. ¡°I was asked not to bring it.¡±


    Tyg nced over to the table the Queen was standing before with her back to them. He looked back to Lars. ¡°The Hra Council?¡±


    Lars nodded unhappily. ¡°I was forbidden to bring it in¡­ so I left a bottle outside the dining hall in the ess way cooling in a chiller,¡± he said with a rebellious little smile.


    ¡°You are salt!¡± Tyg cheered quietly and Lars worked to hide his grin, turning his back towards the table of elder females. The so called Hra Council Jack guessed.


    Tyg looked desperately at Jack. ¡°I cannot leave the dining hall before the Queen but you¡­ you could slip out and bring back that lovely bottle for us.¡±


    ¡°Certainly! Which door?¡± Jack said with a smile.


    Without being obvious, Lars gestured to the servant¡¯s entrance in the corner over his shoulder.


    Jack nodded and nonchntly wandered away and felt eyes on him as he approached the door. He turned and saw Bal staring at him sternly.


    ¡°What are you up to?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Ah! So good of you to join me. Come with me for a second,¡± he said scooping her up against his side. She wanted to protest but his heat felt good. She and Gee were wearing their thermal undergarments but it still wasn¡¯t enough. They wanted to go back to the room and hide under the nkets.


    Jack positioned her in front of the door and pushed it open. ¡°Keep this open just a little, ok?¡± then he slipped out into the hall before she could protest. He spotted the chiller and lifted the bottle out of it. There was nobel but this had to be it as he saw no other bottles. He slipped back through the door to see Bal ring at him. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m on a diplomatic mission here!¡± he scolded her yfully and moved away before she could interfere.


    The King¡¯s expression was priceless as Jack arrived. He scooped up two very small sses and led Jack to a small sitting area for two at the back of the dining hall. He sat and gestured for Jack to take the other chair. He put the sses on the table and Jack put the bottle on the table between them. Tyg twisted the top oddly and the bottle was open. He poured a small amount in both of their sses and Jack¡¯s eyebrows went up with how little was in his ss. He was a little worried at its strength.


    ¡°This is Lussht. You have to start small. Introduce your body to it gradually,¡± Tyg exined.


    They picked up their sses but before Tyg could drink Jack caught his attention.


    ¡°We should toast.¡±


    Tyg looked at him. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°When people share a beverage like this we traditionally say something we are honoring by sharing the drink. We say something like ¡®to a sessful endeavor¡¯ and then we drink. This shows we honor the person or thing we¡¯re toasting,¡± Jack exined.


    Tyg smiled. ¡°I like that tradition! Let¡¯s do it! You¡¯re the guest so you do it first!¡±


    ¡°Ok, for my first toast I¡¯d like to honor something that makes life so much better. To love,¡± Jack said and raised his ss.


    Tyg froze and looked at Jack¡¯s honest gaze. He looked like he might argue but he nced across the room at the profile of the Queen and the protest died on his lips. ¡°Yes¡­ to love.¡± They drank.


    Jack felt the cool liquid slipping down his throat until itnded in his stomach. The cool sensation remained in his throat but his stomach bloomed into warmth which slowly ebbed.


    Jack was trying to grasp the vor but it eluded him. It was good but he just couldn¡¯t ce it. He smiled across the table into the twinkling eyes of the King. ¡°I like it!¡± Tyg grinned and poured two more. Just a tiny bit more this time.


    ¡°My turn.¡± He paused and thought about it. ¡°To freedom,¡± he finally said.


    Jack raised his ss and nodded. ¡°To freedom.¡± They drank.


    The liquid felt like it rushed down his throat, this time on what felt like the slick patch of ice left by the first drink and the bloom of heat wasrger. The vor¡­ damn. He couldn¡¯t catch it yet but he really liked it! ¡°Oh, that¡¯s nice!¡± he sighed.


    Tyg poured two more with a little more. He nodded to Jack indicating it was his turn.


    Jack thought about his next move carefully. Then it came to him. ¡°To second chances.¡±


    Tyg paused to think about that. His eyes were drawn across the room and he nodded slowly before looking back at Jack. ¡°To second chances.¡± They drank.


    Jack held himself very still as the third shot seemed to skip his throat entirely and hit his stomach in record time, the heat bloom exploded and went right to his brain stem. The room went soft focus for just a moment and then settled down into a calm, happy hum.


    Tyg¡¯s eyes kept tracking back to the Queen and he bit his lip.


    ¡°Should¡­ should we do one more?¡± Jack asked carefully as his lips seemed to be moving on their own like they had something to say.


    ¡°Yes¡­ but just the one.¡±


    Tyg poured and Jack tried to focus on how much he¡¯d added to the sses and if it was more than thest time. He shrugged as it was too hard to recall.


    ¡°My turn,¡± the sad King said. ¡°To regret.¡±

 97

    ¡°No! I won¡¯t drink to that thief!¡± Jack growled. He tried to calm himself but his mouth had something to say. ¡°Regret sucks the joy out of life. The remedy for regret is Action! Perseverance! Honesty! Commun- Comm- Communic- Talking! Give me one of those and I¡¯ll drink!¡±


    Tyg stared at the glowering Human with the frightening horns and nodded. ¡°All of them!¡±


    ¡°Aye!¡± Jack grinned widely. ¡°Now you¡¯re talking!¡±


    They drank onest time.


    Jack could feel the moving under his feet and heard the heart beats of everyone in the room. He wasn¡¯t sure what had been in his ss but he was pretty sure it was pretty FUCKING FANTASTIC! He felt like he could do anything! His emotions swelled.


    He smiled at Tyg who was looking across the room at the Queen once more. ¡°Talk to me Tyg!¡± he said leaning forward¡­ or the room did.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to miss my wife,¡± the King said quietly.


    ¡°Why would you have to miss her?¡± Jack asked, confused.


    ¡°When I leave. I will miss her so much.¡±


    ¡°Who is forcing you to leave?¡± Jack asked looking around the room for the bastards who would do such an awful thing.


    ¡°She¡¯s a young Queen. Youngest ever they say. The Hra Council are ¡®assisting her¡¯ but they just make her follow old rules. I can¡¯t do anything to help her. I¡¯m not allowed to do anything!¡±


    Tyg¡¯s incredible sadness swept over Jack and he struggled to keep from crying. He- he couldn¡¯t just stand by and see love destroyed! He took some deep breaths as the King looked in his eyes. ¡°Do you love her?¡± Eyes red and Tyg nodded emphatically. ¡°Do you remember when you fell in love with her? Do you remember why you fell in love with her?¡± Jack asked.


    Tyg gasped a deep breath of his own. ¡°Yes! She was so young, we both were, and she was so brave when they named her Queen!¡±


    ¡°Is she still that woman?¡± Jack asked, the answer seeming so clear to him.


    ¡°She¡¯s losing her nerve, they are taking it from her.¡±


    ¡°Who is?¡± Jack gasped.


    ¡°The Hra Council. They never liked me. I wasn¡¯t like them. I¡¯m not from their ss.¡±


    Jack reached across the table and grabbed the King¡¯s forearm in a tight grip. The male froze looking across the table.


    Jack¡¯s blood was suddenly boiling. ¡°What is your wife?¡± he growled.


    Tyg¡¯s mouth moved then he was able to speak. ¡°The Queen.¡±


    ¡°What are you?¡±


    ¡°The King?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking me?¡± Jack said quietly.


    ¡°No! I am the King!¡± Tyg blurted.


    ¡°What does a King do for his Queen?¡± Jack stared deeply into Tyg¡¯s eyes and the male froze once more as some intimate things popped into his head. Jack frowned. ¡°She¡¯s under attack. What do you do?¡±


    ¡°Oh! Defend her!¡± Tyg gasped in suddenprehension.


    ¡°But you just told me you were running away!¡± Jack growled.


    ¡°She- she doesn¡¯t listen to me!¡± Tyg tried to exin.


    ¡°Has she lost faith that you will defend her? Stand by her? Who is more intimidated by this council?¡± Jack asked with wide eyes. He released his grip on the King¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Oh! Oh. But- I said some awful things,¡± Tyg said.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°And you¡¯ve forgotten how to apologize? What matters most here? Ask yourself that, ask yourself how you should have acted, then ACT!¡± Jack thumped the table with a fist and the bottle and sses jumped as did the King.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I- I have to act!¡± Tyg leapt to his feet and rushed off across the room.


    Gee and Bal were suddenly by Jack¡¯s side. ¡°What have you done?!? What did you do?!? Are you drunk? Did you grab the King? What did I tell you about keeping your hands to yourself?¡± Gee hissed rapidly but quietly at him.


    He grinned happily and shushed her, pointing to the King and Queen.


    They were standing off to the side with their foreheads pressed together. The King was speaking quietly but quickly to his Queen. Then he was speaking earnestly but forcefully to her but the Queen¡¯s reaction was just to smile wider and wider. Finally he got down on his knees and bowed deeply to her. She said something and he quickly climbed back to his feet and they rubbed their faces. The room erupted into cheers. The royal couple smiled bashfully and nodded to the council members and their partners.


    Looking lovingly into the eyes of her husband she pulled her shoulders back and walked back to the Council of Hra. She bowed slightly and said something they really didn¡¯t seem to like. Some began to argue but froze when the Queen snapped her teeth together. She tilted her head and each of the old women got up and bowed to her. She said something else and they slowly walked from the room followed by a very happy Tanz.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Gee asked again but softly this time as she watched the royal couple approaching with wide smiles on their faces. Jack stood and his smile matched theirs.


    ¡°If I might have a moment with Ambassador Danner?¡± the Queen said to the two Altarians. Gee and Bal nodded and slipped away to give them privacy.


    ¡°May I join you for a drink?¡± the Queen asked.


    ¡°Yes! Please!¡± Jack gushed as the King added a chair to the small table. Lars handed the King an extra ss with a huge smile on his face.


    Once they were sitting Jack wondered how he¡¯d managed the whole standing and sitting thing with his head so far up in the clouds. Tyg poured for the three of them, the Queen getting the smallest amount. She frowned at him but he whispered something to her and she smiled once more.


    ¡°I need to make a toast, to honor the most important thing in life. To love,¡± Tyg said holding his ss up. The Queen matched his gesture and when Jack said ¡®To love¡¯ she said it as well. They drank.


    Jack held the edge of the small table as the room began to elerate. When he caught up with the room he smiled at the couple. ¡°My goodness this is strong stuff!¡± heughed.


    Theyughed with him.


    ¡°I cannot tell you how grateful I am you talked me out of my madness!¡± Tyg said to Jack sincerely.


    ¡°I am eternally grateful as well!¡± the Queen chimed in.


    ¡°There is no battle more noble of purpose than the one to protect love,¡± Jack said with a wistful smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s lovely! Who said that?¡± the Queen asked.


    Jack looked around in surprise. ¡°I thought I just did.¡± He looked at his ss. ¡°This is strong stuff!¡±


    The royal couple burst intoughter and Jack joined in without knowing why. It just felt really, really good!


    Another toast was raised and this time the Queen insisted on toasting to Jack. He found that to be extraordinarily funny and they only stopped giggling to toss back the next shot.


    The Queen was now up to a full ss like they were but still well behind on bing drunk. She still had her daunting intellect front and center. ¡°Jack, would you join us for one morest drink in our apartment. We have the most extraordinary view we¡¯d like to share with you.¡±


    The King looked at the Queen with a big grin and nodded to Jack.


    Jack certainly didn¡¯t see anything wrong with having just one more then he¡¯d head off to his own apartment and that lovely bed he¡¯d nced at earlier. He nodded and they all stood. He couldn¡¯t get over how stable his body felt. No swaying, no overly loose muscles, he was able to move around with no sign of the whirling his brain was going through. Neat trick!


    Gee and Bal approached seemingly ready to ¡®help him¡¯ walk back to their room. The Queen intervened.


    ¡°Jack will be joining us for just one more drink in our apartment,¡± she said gently but it was the Queen speaking. Her tone brooked no argument.


    The agents nced at each other and looked to Jack who smiled happily.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be a long shortly. You two should head off to bed now. I¡¯ll see you in the morning,¡± he said.


    Knowing Jack was as safe in the pce as he was at home and seeing no alternative they bowed to the royal couple. With a final nce at Jack they moved off.


    ¡°This way!¡± Tyg said yfully and moved quickly towards the side door where the Lussht had been stashed. The bottle in question was clutched in his left hand.


    The Queen moved after him and Jack felt himself being swept along after them like a bit of fluff caught in the turbulence of a passing skimmer.


    Tyg took them down the service way, past the kitchen, up a hidden staircase and through two other corridors to get to a lift that brought them up two more levels. As they stepped out of the elevator Jack saw tworger Shreen standing on either side of double doors. They stood taller as the royal couple approached and Jack saw them smile slightly when they saw the happy smiles on their Queen and King.


    ¡°Good night!¡± the Queen said to them and they nodded. Jack and the King nodded to them in return and then they were inside the apartment, the doors closed behind them.


    The wide foyer led into a sunken living room with cushions everywhere! Beyond that though was a window. An actual window! They must have been at ground level! Jack felt his legs moving him across the living room and up to the window where he looked out at a valley which was currently being swept by winds and snow.


    The view took Jack¡¯s breath away and his mouth hung open in awe. Again, his emotions felt swollen beyond his ability to contain them.


    He felt a brief touch on his shoulder and turned. The Queen was standing very close to him with a ss in each hand. She lifted one for him and Jack took it. ¡°May I make a toast?¡± he asked.


    She nodded and he noted how incredibly lovely and soft her light grey eyes were now that they no longer held such sadness. He looked to the King who was reclining back on some cushions in the living room¡­ pit. Well, that¡¯s what it looked like to Jack. Tyg nodded emphatically with a smile.

 98

    Jack looked at the young couple, so much in love, and sighed. ¡°This is a special toast. To a loving couple who has rediscovered the truth about how strong they can only truly be when they are united by their love. To the Queen and King!¡± Jack said sincerely and raised his ss.


    They followed suit and the three threw back the undefinable elixir.


    Jack found himself lying back against the cushions in the pit. He felt like he was floating in the clouds without a care in the world. Once more his emotions swelled to bursting and he gasped at the potent mix of bliss and despair that shed by.


    He heard a giggle to his left so he rolled his head slowly in that direction, careful not to hit the giggler with his horns. Pale grey eyes twinkled happily as the Queen rested on her stomach and elbows watching him. Tyg was on her other side smiling at Jack as well.


    ¡°See! He was only out for seconds! I told you he was made of tough stuff like a Ridger!¡± the King said with a grin.


    The Queen happily rolled her eyes as Jack looked at Tyg. ¡°What¡¯s a Ridger?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a Ridger! I grew up in a back country vige on the continental ridge, the foothills before the main mountain range. Life can be tough out there but the tough survive.¡± Tyg exined proudly. The Queen rubbed her face against his and he smiled.


    ¡°I believe the Ambassador-¡±


    ¡°Jack, please!¡± he begged.


    She smiled at him sweetly. ¡°Then you must call me Lyn. In private only, of course.¡± Jack nodded solemnly. She continued. ¡°As I was saying,¡± she gently tugged the open neck of Jack¡¯s sweater down to expose the deep V of the ve band on his neck. ¡°Jack knows how to be tough and how to survive.¡±


    Tyg sighed in admiration when he saw the wide silver links of the ne. That admiration turned to dismay when he saw the links were embedded in Jacks skin. ¡°Char! How-¡±


    Jack looked away, tears welling up in his eyes as his emotions once more threatened to overwhelm him.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯ve hurt you Jack!¡± Lyn gasped.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. How did you get this device connected to you?¡± Tyg blurted.


    The Queen turned to her husband. ¡°You remember Jack was kidnapped by the Allsa Komanae?¡± He nodded. ¡°They took him to their home and put a ve color on him. He¡¯s been through horrific torture.¡± She looked at Jack. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for reminding you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ok. The cor¡­ it doesn¡¯t¡­ speak to me of surviving. It reminds me of the victims who were killed by those bastards,¡± he gasped. He bit down on his tongue to contain the truth.


    ¡°Every one of those deaths has been avenged Jack! You know this! It was at your hand!¡± she insisted.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! I remember now! You killed them!¡± Tyg said with a grin then shed a worried look at his wife as Jack¡¯s grief over took him and he burst into tears.


    Jack was having trouble breathing as his tears wouldn¡¯t stop. The mountain of grief and fear he¡¯d been forcing deep into the recesses of his mind ever since he was rescued would no longer be denied. The Lussht disabled the locks on all of his mind¡¯s fortifications and the prisoners were all rushing out. He felt all the terror he¡¯d experienced each time the Allsa Komanae lit up his nervous system with their ve cor and shock sticks. He experienced all of the dread of the damage they might be doing and the despair when the Chuuruthians informed him the cor couldn¡¯t be removed without permanent loss of sensation in unknown ces. It all came crashing over him and he sobbed, muscles shaking.


    When he eventually came back to himself he discovered he was clinging to the Queen and she was clinging equally tight to him, her forehead pressed against his. Tyg had his arms wrapped protectively around both of them.


    ¡°Are you ok, Jack?¡± Lyn asked gently.


    ¡°I- ¡± he cleared his throat. He realized he had to get it out now or he might never say it. ¡°I¡¯m terrified of the cor. No¡­ I¡¯m terrified of how it took away my control. My illusion of control. It tore me wide open every time they punished me with it. It exposed me,¡± he forced out of his tight throat.


    ¡°It can¡¯t do that anymore though, can it,¡± her soft voice said gently.


    Jack struggled to get his breathing back to normal. ¡°No¡­ it can¡¯t. The receiver¡­ it¡¯s burnt out. The ones who knew how to interface with it are all gone.¡±


    ¡°So, you can let go of that fear?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ yes I can.¡± He took some deep breaths then began to feel embarrassed for dragging these young people into his drama. ¡°I¡¯m sorry-¡±


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t deny the significance of letting go of this pain. I think you have been containing it all this time, yes?¡± Lyn said sternly.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± he said with a faint voice.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve set it loose how do you feel?¡± she asked.


    He thought about that. He looked inside and discovered he felt¡­ better. Lighter. More rxed. And exceptionally clear minded. The fog of the drink waspletely gone!


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she repeated with a smile.


    ¡°You are a smart Queen!¡± Jack said sincerely.


    ¡°She¡¯s the best!¡± Tyg said from her shoulder.


    They gently eased their grip on each other and they sat up to smile at each other bashfully.


    ¡°Thank you so much for that. I¡­ don¡¯t know why my emotions became so intense and overwhelming!¡± Jack eximed.


    ¡°Really? Huh. Lussht typically has a calming effect on Shreen though each batch is hand brewed and can have slight variations in its side effects,¡± Tyg exined.


    ¡°Lussht? Now I know,¡± Jack sighed.


    ¡°Jack?¡± Lyn said just a little nervously.


    ¡°Hmmm?¡±


    ¡°This may be totally rude and inappropriate but considering how intimate the night has been¡­¡± her voice tapered off as she ran out of nerve. She nced at her husband.


    ¡°May we touch your horns?¡± Tyg finished for her and she gasped in relief as she looked hopefully at Jack.


    He burst into a smile. ¡°Of course you can. They used to feel dry and a little rough but since I got that tree sap on them and identally bonded the stuff to them the feel is much different. He leaned forward a little and each lifted a hand to touch his horns ever so gently.


    ¡°They¡¯re really strong so don¡¯t be shy about it. The caps are still on aren¡¯t they?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes, they are lovely. Why do you wear them?¡± Lyn asked.


    ¡°The tips need to be covered because they are exceptionally sh- sh- sharp.¡± The room went into soft focus for Jack again. He smiled as a blissful calm settled over him.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Jack asked Tyg.


    ¡°Are you feeling good again?¡± the King asked.


    ¡°Mmm hmmm!¡± Jack nodded with a grin.


    ¡°The waves have begun. Lussht stays with your system for a while. The waves of euphoria should diminish in intensity, eventually. Well, they do with Shreen.¡±


    Jack thought that was pretty funny because only seconds ago he felt clearer than he had in years. His chuckles turned into augh as Tyg and Lyn were drawn into his good spirits.


    ¡°What- hoo! What happens if I have more Lush?¡± Jack asked as he got control of thisughter.


    ¡°Not Lush! Lussht! Drinking more just extends how long you get the waves- oh! Heree minnneeee¡­¡± Tyg giggled quietly to himself as he slumped back to the cushions.


    The Queen poured herself another ss and tossed it back. While she was gasping Jack grabbed the bottle and poured a little more for himself. Tyg shook his head at the offer.


    The Queen got up and spoke into a little speaker on the wall. Gentle music began to y and she gracefully swayed around the foyer.


    Grinning madly Jack mbered to his feet and made his way up to the foyer. He danced up to the Queen as she danced around him. Jack closed his eyes and swayed to the music. It was kind of folksy and orchestral at the same time and Jack heard hints of ssical in there as well. At least it had a beat he could move to. He was no dance expert but his current buzz removed all of his inhibitions. He was also still giddy from the sudden release of years of tension and anxiety. He saw the Queen watching him dance and he held out his hand to her. She nced at it in surprise and looked over at Tyg who was watching them with a huge grin on his face. He nodded to her and gestured for her to take the hand. The moment Jack felt her soft hand in his he gripped it and pulled her in close to dance and walked her through a few steps. He spun her around the gleaming floors of the foyer and her eyes were sparkling with excitement. He knew his moves were sloppy but he had passion and she seemed to be enjoying herself. The music slowed down a little with a dramatic beat so he tried to do a tango but theplexity of the steps eluded him.


    Lyn was making quiet trilling noises almost non-stop and dragged Jack back to the cushions of the living room next to Tyg who watched them with interest. She stretched out her body over her husband¡¯s and rubbed her face on his. She whispered something to him and his eyes widened. He looked over at Jack who blinked back at him curiously. Tyg nuzzled his wife and she trilled at him as well. She turned to Jack.


    ¡°You will join us in lovemaking?¡±


    Jack¡¯s buzz was happily humming through his nerves at the time so he didn¡¯t quite grasp what she¡¯d asked. He smiled at her. ¡°Hmmm?¡±


    She was suddenly reclining on his chest, her face very, very close to his. She felt very good against his body. ¡°You will join us in lovemaking?¡± she asked again, more insistently this time.


    That got through but his ability to be shocked, embarrassed, shy, or intimidated were washed away with his inhibitions. He smiled up at her. ¡°But- but I don¡¯t know how Shreen make love!¡±


    ¡°There is only one way to make love, Jack!¡± sheughed.


    He smiled in return as he looked between the two. ¡°No, no my young friends! There are many, many ways to make love!¡±


    The Queen trilled excitedly and rubbed herself against him. She reached out a hand to Tyg and he took the hand in his. Both closed their eyes in happiness.

 99

    Jack¡¯s mind was trying to tell him something. Something about hands. Meh. It couldn¡¯t be important.


    ¡°Show us! We want to learn!¡± Lyn gasped as she refocused on Jack.


    Jackughed. ¡°I¡¯m no expert. I just know a few things.¡±


    ¡°Teach us!¡± she trilled. Again Jackughed at the happy enthusiasm. He was feeling so at ease he just nodded.


    ¡°Well, before I do I need to know something about what you do know. What is lovemaking to you?¡±


    Lyn grinned and squirmed on top of him in embarrassment and the pressure was beginning to wake part of his anatomy.


    ¡°We take our clothes off and Tyg lies on me or I lie on him and we hold hands and rub our bodies together until they connect and we mate.¡±


    ¡°Ah, ok. That sounds very nice. What about before that? What things do you do to get excited?¡±


    ¡°Before?¡±


    ¡°Things you do that make you feel like mating?¡±


    She trilled and looked at her husband. ¡°We hold hands and rub faces,¡± he suggested.


    ¡°Do you kiss? Are your lips sensitive?¡± Jack asked curiously.


    ¡°Kiss? I don¡¯t know what that is,¡± she said.


    ¡°May I? he asked the couple.


    She nodded nervously and Tyg grinned. Jack took Lyn¡¯s head gently between his hands and caressed her mouth with his, taking small kisses as he went. He stuck with sensual surface kisses only. He smiled as he pulled back.


    Lyn¡¯s eyes were wide and excited. ¡°Again!¡±


    ¡°No, this time you do it with Tyg. Remember slow and sensual as you¡¯re just going for subtle feelings, like a tease.


    Lyn scrambled over to her husband and climbed across his body. ¡°Slowly,¡± Jack reminded her. She nodded then took Tyg¡¯s face in her hands and kissed him for the first time. He moaned then trilled loudly making his wife trill back happily. Jack thought their noises were sweet.


    ¡°Undress!¡± the Queenmanded and Jack snorted. She looked at him questioningly.


    ¡°Take your time. Make the undressing part of the lovemaking,¡± he suggested. They stared at him in surprise. ¡°You can take your clothes off one at a time while the other one watches or you can help your partner remove their clothes and excite their bodies as you do it.


    ¡°Show me!¡± Lyn asked rolling off her husband tond on the cushions.


    Jack nodded to Tyg. ¡°The Shreen don¡¯t wear a lot of clothes but you have this lovely kilt.¡± Jack slipped the first knuckle of his index finger inside her waistband and slowly slid his finger across her stomach. She began to gasp as her stomach muscles trembled.


    He found the kilt¡¯s fastener buckle and undid it at her hip. He tugged the corner of her kilt down exposing more of her tender lower abdomen. Jack kissed there and she convulsed. He pulled back and looked at her in surprise. Tyg was watching wide eyed.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± Jack asked.


    She nodded and bit her lip so he peeled the kilt down a little more. He kissed this area and she convulsed once more and began to pant. Jack slipped the kilt down her legs and off. He picked up the scent of her heat and it was sweet and warm.


    ¡°She is very excited!¡± Tyg said to Jack indicating the wet lips surrounding her opening. She was very small and notpatible even with his average human endowment so the Shreen weren¡¯t a race he¡¯d be having sex with. The lips seemed to have short tendrils on them and they swayed with her excitement, spreading their lubricant around.


    ¡°Here is another way to make love. Oral sex. It feels very good and is a beautiful way to give your lover great pleasure.¡± Jack said.


    ¡°Oral? Using your mouth? Down there? What about the sharp teeth in your mouth?¡± Tyg eximed in shock.


    ¡°Lips and tongue, Tyg. Go ahead.¡±


    The male blinked at him, frozen.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not done,¡± he said.


    ¡°Why? Is there a safety or health reason?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°No, no¡­ it¡¯s not¡­ natural.¡±


    Jack barked out augh. ¡°Sorry, nothing is more natural than giving your partner pleasure. If it¡¯s safe to do, doesn¡¯t hurt but instead gives great pleasure then do it!¡± he said with a smile. Tyg still looked undecided and poor Lyn was shivering with need. Jack ran a fingertip over and around her opening, caressing the wet lips.


    ¡°YYYYEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!!¡± Lyn cried out as she was finally getting some pleasure.


    Jack looked at the slick fluids on his finger tip as the couple watched him. He put his finger in his mouth and the couple jolted in shock. He looked at them curiously as he licked the juices from his finger. She tasted like¡­ honey! Slightly tart honey.


    ¡°She¡¯s delicious, Tyg! Seriously you should do this!¡± he said.


    ¡°I- I don¡¯t know how! I don¡¯t want to hurt her!¡± he blurted.


    Jack sighed. ¡°Ok, watch and learn!¡± He dipped his face down between her thighs and gently kissed and nipped at her inner thighs. Lyn was jumping, gasping and trilling constantly. Jack saw Tyg was still with him watching his every move. Jack stuck his tongue out t and stroked it across her rippling lips.


    ¡°AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!¡± the Queen cried out in bliss.


    Jack ran the point of his tongue roughly over the surface of her lower lips and she trilled loudly as her body shook. When he plunged his tongue into her opening while sucking on the lips her cries went ultrasonic and her hands grabbed his horns and pinned his face against her sex as she convulsed through an enormous orgasm.


    When she finally came down from her pleasure he pulled away and she reluctantly released his horns. Jack turned his wet face to look at Tyg. ¡°Completely natural pleasure. She likes it. Learn to do it.¡±


    The King nodded as he watched his wife panting with a blissful smile on her face.


    Jack pushed himself up to his feet and wandered off to the kitchen where he quickly washed off his face. As he was drying himself his body went through another ¡®wave¡¯ and he came back to himself gripping the edge of the counter as his body felt like it was going to float up to the ceiling. He smiled as the calm surge settled through his body.


    He made his way back and heard a gentle trillinging from the pit. He made his way down and saw Tyg was on top of Lyn but they weren¡¯t moving. He thought this probably got the job done but a little movement might enhance it.


    ¡°Hey Tyg. Rock those hips, man!¡± Jack suggested.


    Tyg looked at him in question.


    ¡°Listen to the music and roll your hips to the beat.¡± Jack demonstrated sensually rocking his hips to the music. ¡°Different music, different feeling.¡± Jack was beginning to fade so he sat on the cushion next to the Queen and smiled down at her.


    She smiled back but her face was contorting with the intensity of the sensations Tyg was giving her with the rocking of his hips. They¡¯d connect just to pull away and connect on the other side. This constant tug and press amplified the sensations and she was losing her mind. When Jack lifted her hand to his mouth and sensually kissed each and every knuckle she was seriously racing up on her release. Her hips were moving with Tyg¡¯s and he was beginning his orgasm. She looked up at Jack as he put her finger inside his mouth. Her eyes rolled back as a mighty trill burst forth. Jack leaned away from the noises the two were making and released Lyn¡¯s finger. He pushed himself to his feet and found they were taking him to the front door.


    He was suddenly tired and the couple behind him showed no signs of stopping. He opened the door and slipped out into the hall. He looked over his shoulder and saw one of the doormen smiling at him.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°They need some couple time. I¡¯m- I¡¯m gonna go back to my room¡­ but I have no idea how to get there.¡±


    ¡°I will get you there Ambassador,¡± one said as the other nodded.


    Jack nodded then followed his guide. He lost track of the turns until they were standing before the door to his room. ¡°Thank you!¡±


    The doorman nodded with a smile and walked away. Jack slipped into his room and locked the door behind him. When he turned to face the room another ¡®wave¡¯ washed over him. This one was bigger and left him very foggy afterwards. He came back to the feel of two hands pulling him across the room. His body tingled as hands undressed him for bed. He purred at the feeling of their soft hands removing his clothes. He reached forward to touch the female before him but she kept pushing his hands away.


    When Jack was down to his underwear Gee and Bal saw he was tenting them badly and shared a look. Gee pushed Jack back onto the bed and Bal, who was on the bed, pushed him to move up to the pillows. Bal turned and hopped off the other side to put away his clothes while Gee tried to tuck him in.


    Gee found herself on top of Jack and his hands were squeezing her ass cheeks in a way she had to admit felt wonderful. She sighed and looked over at Bal who smirked with an armful of clothes and shrugged as she left the room to give them a little privacy.


    Deciding to do this quickly Gee pushed herself up to sit on his legs. She pulled Jack¡¯s boxers down far enough to free his cock. She marvelled at how hard it was then straddled it and rubbed herself up and down on it and felt herself getting wetter and wetter.


    Jack was moaning with pleasure when she finally tilted him up and drove him deep into herself. She rode him hard and fast but he showed no sign of reaching his release. She was tiring when Jack reached down to grab her hips and began to thrust up into her. Gee felt like a leaf in the wind. Her loss of control wasplete when her orgasm suddenly struck and he continued to thrust through the explosion of her pleasure. In desperation she threw herself to the side, pulling free tond on the bed beside Jack. She panted and shook through aftershocks.


    ¡°Bal!¡± she called out once before closing her eyes and pulling the nket over her head.


    Her partner came back into the room and saw Gee was under the sheets and Jack was¡­ exposed and very much still excited. Bal scowled at the lump of her partner under the sheets then walked closer to see what condition Jack was in.


    He¡¯d obviously drunk something that was impairing his ability to think. His eyes were rolling as hey on his back. She looked down at his cock and it wasrge, hard and throbbing. She reached for it then pulled her hand back. She looked closer at his face and was caught when his arms went around her. His hand gripped the hair on the back of her head and his mouth was on hers and he was kissing her so deeply and sensually.

 100

    Her mind fluttered as she tried to react, to push him away, but the truth was¡­ she liked him. He was childish and silly but in his heart he was a good person. There was also the fact that she had no suiters on Altaria. Security Agents don¡¯t get a second look from Altarian males. She needed to get her pleasure from time to time. She knew Jack could make her feel good¡­ ah, fuck it. She wanted him.


    Bal¡¯s arms went around Jack¡¯s neck and she kissed him deeply in return. Suddenly he rolled them over and his warm body was pressing her down on the mattress. Fuck, he felt so good! They rocked together for a minute until she was almost crying out for him to enter her when he raised his hips. She reached down and guided him to her opening and gasped when he slowly pushed himself in deeper and deeper.


    She knew in his drunken state he was probably imagining Queen Elissa or one of thedies he lived with but for now, for this moment he was with her. He felt good! Big! She felt so full and warm. This damn was so freaking cold! She wasn¡¯t cold now!


    Jack¡¯s hips began to thrust faster and faster and she could hear him begin to rumble deep in his chest. That made her tingle. His teeth grazed her neck and she couldn¡¯t prevent her instinctive jolt of primal fear quickly followed by a wave of relief and a huge surge of pleasure as her release washed over her mind.


    ¡°Oh god Bal! You¡¯re so beautiful!¡± Jack moaned as he erupted deep within her.


    She froze. Her sexual bliss was still ring but the warmth that exploded through her now came from a different source. She clung to hisrge body soaking in the contact, the closeness, his connection to her.


    When she came back to herself she was still under him¡­ but he¡¯d fallen asleep. He was incredibly heavy, he wouldn¡¯t wake up, and she couldn¡¯t move him.


    Stupid human.


    ¡°Gee. Wake up.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm?¡±


    ¡°Help get him off of me!¡± she growled.


    Gee tugged sideways from the top while Bal pushed from the bottom until he rolled over onto his back. Gee smirked at Bal then climbed under the warm nkets to cuddle against Jack¡¯s warmth.


    Bal pulled up the nket as well. Then grudgingly tucked herself against Jack¡¯s other side.


    Stupid warm human.


    She couldn¡¯t keep the little smile from her lips so she pulled the nket over her head to hide it.


    Jack awoke feeling the oddest sensations.


    First to catch his attention was the physical. His nose and his toes were cold but the rest of his body was hot!


    More profound than this was the incredible feeling of lightness. He was almost giddy with a sense of relief¡­ but from what? What did he do to feel this way?


    He cast his mind back to the night before and¡­ frowned. His memories were cloudy and jumbled and the bits he could pull out were almost surreal. Going further back he recalled Tanz bringing them to the royal dining room and meeting the cab ministers and their spouses. Ah! He needed to get some time to discreetly pick their brains about the unrest on the.


    Then he remembered meeting the royal couple. After the friendliness of everyone else he¡¯d met they were surprisingly cold and stiff. Troubles in the rtionship, he thought. They were so wrapped up in their own misery they wouldn¡¯t be aware of troubles in their kingdom. As a source of information on the unrest they were a dead end. As a young couple he hoped they could work it out.


    As he continued on through his memories he remembered eating and being miserable then being with the King and drink- ah. He got drunk. Probing at the rest of his memories of the night was useless. They were a jumbled mess. What the hell had he been drinking?


    Still, for a night after a bender he felt good. So good! Almost like a runner¡¯s high!


    He looked to his left and right and saw lumps under the nkets. He lifted the nket and yup. His two heat seekers. The reason he was sweltering under the covers. Guh, he needed a shower.


    There was no way for him to get out of bed without pulling the nket down and he knew¡­ fuck it. He needed out. Down went the nket and the cold air hit his bare, sweaty skin. Yikes! He tried to get up quickly but got a few ps from the two sleepy heads before he was able to walk down to the end of the bed and step off. He looked back and they¡¯d already pulled the nket back up over their heads once more.


    Shivering, he grabbed his toiletry kit, gathered some clothes and made his way quickly to the bath room. The shower was enormous! He dumped his stuff on the counter, grabbed his soap and shampoo and stepped into the shower. The controls were rtively simple to figure out and soon he was standing in a vertical stream of hot water. He yed with the settings and finally found a way to reduce the flow so it didn¡¯t feel like he was being pounded to the ground by a torrent. He let the heat soak into his skin as hethered up and rinsed.


    He remembered the caps and reached up to remove them before he washed his hair. He shut off the water and stepped out looking for a towel but there were none. He looked back in the shower and saw a setting for what looked like air dry so he pressed it. The stall was filled with swirling, hot and dry air. He ran his fingers through his hair and eventually he felt dry enough. He shut it down and went out to finish cleaning up.


    He felt clean, refreshed and still remarkably light. He buffed his cor with a small hand towel he found then pulled on his clothes. As he exited the bathroom, Gee and Bal brushed past him to get into the bathroom. They were moving stiffly and had dour looks on their faces. They really didn¡¯t like the cold. Now that he was dressed he was¡­fortable. He didn¡¯t know what the n was today. Tanz would be by¡­ in about forty minutes to fill them in.


    He poked about in the room until Gee and Bal came out of the bathroom. They were still moving a little stiffly and he suddenly recognized their movements from how Leffera and Karrel were after he¡¯d been a little too aggressive with them during lovemaking. His jaw dropped and he moved to apologize.


    ¡°We will not speak of it. Nothing. Happened.¡± Gee said looking him right in the eye.


    Jack blinked, looking between the two agents then nodded.


    Gee pointed to the couch and Jack moved to sit in the middle with a resigned sigh. They tucked themselves in next to him and Bal pulled the nket over them.


    ¡°Could they not add a heater to the guest suites?¡± Gee grumbled.


    Bal didn¡¯t respond to her partnersints.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to speak of what happenedst night but could you clue me in to what happened after dinner?¡±


    Gee looked up at Jack¡¯s face in surprise. ¡°You have no memory at all?¡±


    He fidgeted. ¡°Well, I have some brief shes but most of it is either gone or bizarrely surreal.¡±


    Gee grunted in annoyance.


    ¡°You spoke with the King and he seems to have reconciled with the Queen. They were very happy when west saw them. They took you up to their apartment for a nightcap.¡± Bal exined.


    Gee and Jack both looked at her in surprise. She was usually so quiet.


    ¡°What? It¡¯s what happened!¡± she scowled and burrowed a little closer to Jack. They sat there on the couch for the next half hour until there was a knock on the door.


    Bal threw back the nket and leapt to her hooves to answer the door. She returned with Tanz who saw Jack and Gee getting off of the couch and folding the nket.


    ¡°Good morning! Again, I apologize for the temperature. I have been assured your warmer outerwear will be ready this morning,¡± she said in concern.


    ¡°That¡¯s great! Thanks! Good morning to you!¡± Jack responded.


    ¡°Yes, it is a very good morning indeed! I thought we might go to one of our best hot springs so you could see what makes Chrystan such a paradise¡­ for us,¡± she amended seeing the two Altarians looking so chilly.


    ¡°A hot spring would be lovely!¡± Jack agreed.


    With a happy nod Tanz led them out of the room and pce. They walked back through the shopping district and the marketce once more and Jack thought both areas seemed even busier than the first time they¡¯d been through. The people still called out to Tanz and her responses were generating a lot more smiles this time. She was really popr!


    They climbed back onto the cart, Gee and Bal once more making a Jack sandwich for his heat. They pulled out into the tunnel, continuing in the direction they¡¯d gone yesterday.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be going around the city to get to the hot springs. Taking the cart is quicker,¡± Tanz exined.


    She was staring at Jack with a strange smile on her face. He was going to ask her about it when she turned and the cart rolled into another parking area. The air felt just a little warmer here making Gee and Bal perk up. The group walked through the doors from the parking lot and a gust of warm humid air caressed their faces. The entrance to the hot spring was just up ahead and there was a lot of Shreening and going. They went inside and Jack saw arge sign indicating the location and sizes of the pools. Tanz pointed out the one they would go to. If they were feeling adventurous there was a special treat with thisrge facility. Part of one of therge pools was outside. Swim under a wall and you could surface outside! Gee and Bal immediately killed that idea.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Tanz asked with a grin.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Jack looked for signs indicating men¡¯s and women¡¯s locker rooms but everyone who entered just headed in the one door. He had an uneasy feeling.


    ¡°Uh, Tanz? Is the change room for everyone? No separate room for male and female?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Why would we need separate- oh! I¡¯m sorry, I forgot. We don¡¯t get many visitors. Shreen don¡¯t have inhibitions about disying our bodies. Our kilts are functional and decorative, not to hide parts of our anatomy.¡± Tanz said looking curiously at Jack¡¯s body. ¡°Do you wish to leave?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± he quickly looked at the two Altarians who appeared to be willing to be naked as long as it meant they could get into the hot water. ¡°I¡¯m here to experience your culture so I¡¯ll go native.¡± He stopped to think about that. ¡°You don¡¯t wear anything in the water, do you.¡±


    ¡°Of course not! The clothing would get wet!¡± Tanzughed.


    ¡°We have clothes designed to be worn in the water. We call them swimsuits,¡± Jack exined.


    ¡°How strange? What would be the point of covering your body with clothing if you wanted the hot water to touch your skin?¡± she looked at him incredulously.


    ¡°Well, a swimsuit is typically a very small piece of clothing that covers a very small portion of our body. Around the sexual organs mostly,¡± Jack said, his face burning just a little.


    ¡°AHH! That¡¯s right! Human males have externally located genitals!¡±


    ¡°How about that swim!¡± Jack blurted and pped his hands together.

 101

    Tanz looked confused by his sudden change of topic but led them into the change room. They each picked a cubby for their clothes, with biometric reader locks, and began to undress. Jack noticed that it took the Shreen all of a few seconds to strip off their kilts, ce them into the cubby and be on their way.


    Soon Jack was standing naked with the equally naked Altarians looking at Tanz who looked¡­ much like she had previously.


    ¡°You look much different when you take your clothes off!¡± she said in surprise.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. Shall we go?¡± Jack asked and he gestured for her to proceed them.


    They walked out into a much warmer corridor and the Altarians sighed happily. There were several paths leading to smaller pools but to get the truly local experience Tanz led them to the main pool where most of themunity went to rx and chat.


    When they entered the vast room the temperature went up a few more degrees and Jack could see Gee and Bal finally rx. They walked through a corridor that rained on them until they exited the other side drenched and frozen. The Altarians made a bee line for therge pool and waded in immediately. The room was a little prone to echoes and the white noise of the water fall they¡¯d just walked through made talking impossible. Tanz nodded when Jack pointed to his ears and guided them further along. Gee and Bal kept pace with them from the water. They looked much happier in the water.


    The sight of the Queen¡¯s Facilitator walking along the pool¡¯s edge with a tall, horned, furless creature was drawing attention. Heads turned and conversation lulled as they passed by.


    Tanz was still being called to and nodded to her admirers.


    They found a quieter grotto and slipped into the water. Now that Jack was up to his shoulders in the hot water he felt himself rxing as well.


    ¡°Ohhhh this is niiiiiiiiice,¡± he sighed happily and Tanz grinned at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m so d you like it! I was beginning to get the impression you were ufortable,¡± Tanz said with a relieved expression.


    Jack nced over to check on Gee and Bal and saw they¡¯d found an underwater ledge to sit on a little distance away which kept most of their bodies under the surface. Their eyes tracked the movements of the guests. He smiled at their vignce. He turned back to Tanz who, he noticed, had moved much closer.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not terriblyfortable being nude around strangers. It¡¯s not something I would normally do but as I¡¯m on Chrystan and it seems to be how things are done I¡¯ll give it a go.¡± Changing the subject once more he rested back against the side of the pool. ¡°Was there a n for the rest of the day?¡±


    ¡°The Queen and King were going to give you a tour of the city but they were up all night so they won¡¯t be able to join us today.¡± Tanz said grinning expectantly at Jack.


    He wasn¡¯t sure why she was looking at him like that. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The royal couple were making love all night long after being seen sneaking out ofst night¡¯s dinner party with you! One of the doormen informed me they were enjoying themselves quite¡­ energetically as you slipped out of their apartment,¡± she said excitedly with a giggle.


    Jack blushed as he struggled to remember what she was talking about. He got shes of a furred thigh up close and twitching and shook his head to clear the intimate image. Tanz¡¯s eyes were wide and twinkling with happiness. ¡°I- I had a little too much Lusshtst night and I may have¡­ done things I can¡¯t recall clearly now.¡±


    ¡°Do you like Lussht? I could get you some-¡± she chirped and began to move away to get some.


    ¡°No! Please!¡± he blurted, reaching out to stop her and caught her hand. When her eyes flew wide looking at her hand he snatched his back. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry about that! Human gesture! Means something much less intimate!¡±


    She was looking at him oddly as she moved back to her spot.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°Listen, I wasn¡¯t really prepared for this visit and I haven¡¯t taught myself how to avoid all of the social taboos so I¡¯m making mistakes. I know you said the Shreen are easy going but I¡¯m finding myself doing things that might be seen as¡­ taboo breaking.¡± His mind shed to the Queen looking at him with a dazed expression as he kissed her finger tips. He groaned quietly and put a hand to his forehead.


    ¡°Does your head hurt from the Lussht? I have not heard of that side effect,¡± Tanz said quietly.


    Jack realized she was much closer now. He knew she was the Queen¡¯s closest assistant so she was probably concerned he might be indiscreet with what he¡­ might have done the previous night with the royal couple. ¡°Listen, I won¡¯t tell anyone what we did or might have done-¡±


    Tanz began to giggle.


    Again, Jack was confused by her behavior. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I spoke with the Queen and King first thing this morning. They were delighted to tell me about some of the fun they hadst night and that you taught them thrilling new ways to make love!¡±


    His face flushed as his mind carried him back to a scene of the Queen¡¯s face close to his, panting with lust. His eyes cleared and he returned to find Tanz almost leaning against him. He turned in surprise and his erection bumped into her soft fur.


    A hand touched then gripped his cock under the water and she gasped.


    ¡°You¡¯re huge!¡± she cried out.


    He knew he wasn¡¯t but perspective is everything. Jack shook his head and gently pulled back from her grip. ¡°I- I think the heat is getting to me. I¡¯d better go cool off. He moved to the side of the pool and climbed out.


    Tanz watched him with a worried expression. When she saw his erection her mouth dropped open. She jumped when Gee and Bal moved past her quickly and climbed out to chase after Jack who was walking quickly back towards the change room.


    Snapping out of her daze she scrambled to catch up.


    He¡¯d tried, he really did, but he¡¯d never be a nudist. Too many eyes and he was just too shy. He spent a little extra time under the waterfall rinsing the hot spring water off and cooling his¡­ passion. He spotted two dark shapes dart past him in the cold spray. They were spending as little time as they could in the cold water. He felt a part of himself shrinking so he moved on to the locker room to find Gee and Bal standing in the hot air dryers rubbing the water from their fur. The image started to bring life back to what had been shrinking so he turned away to find himself facing a distraught Tanz.


    ¡°I am so sorry if I disturbed you with my touch! I got the impression from the royal couple that you might be¡­ at ease with such bold gestures.¡±


    Jack couldn¡¯t stop a chuckle from escaping and a smile began to return to her face. ¡°I¡¯m sure it sounded like that but remember, I¡¯d had a fair amount to drink and for humans that can have a profound impact on our inhibitions. It makes some of us a little too rxed about¡­ everything. It can also degrade our judgement so we find ourselves doing stuff that perhaps isn¡¯t too wise.¡±


    He smiled at Tanz. ¡°I¡¯m d the Queen and King weren¡¯t offended or hurt by anything I did with themst night.¡±


    She looked down again. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how you made love to the Queen with something that bes sorge without hurting her!¡±


    He fidgeted again. ¡°Uh, while I don¡¯t have a clear memory of the night, I don¡¯t believe Humans arepatible with Shreen for having that kind of sex.¡±


    ¡°Kind of sex?¡± she gasped with wide eyes. ¡°Is that like the ¡®thrilling new ways to make love¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yes.¡±


    Gee and Bal were dressed and standing at his elbow. ¡°You should dry off,¡± Bal said.


    He nodded and with a nod to Tanz he made his way into the dryer.


    ¡°Has he taught you these thrilling new ways?¡± Tanz excitedly asked the Altarians.


    The two agents shared a look and eyes twinkled. They saw the woman was almost trembling with curiosity. Gee leaned forward as if to share a secret and Tanz leaned in so quickly she almost lost her bnce.


    ¡°As his security team it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for us to make love with him but¡­ I¡¯ve heard that Jack is most talented with what he can do with his¡­ tongue¡­ down there.¡±


    Tanz trilled loudly in her excitement and eyes turned in their direction. She rushed off to jump in the air dryer next to Jack¡¯s. He smiled at her and wondered at her almost manic grin.


    Jack left the dryer and got his clothes out of the cubby and got dressed. Once he had thatyer, or in this case,yers of clothing between himself and the rest of the world he felt much better.


    Then Tanz walked over with somethingrge and furry in her arms. Gee and Bal joined them.


    ¡°They arrived! Courtesy of the Queen! Skrahak pelt coats! I asked the staff to bring them to me wherever I was so I could make sure you were warm.¡± She handed Gee and Bal their smaller coats and thedies tugged them on. Their expressions of bliss told Jack all he needed to know.


    ¡°What¡¯s a Skrahak?¡± he asked taking therger coat from her arms. It was a little heavy. It was also very soft.


    ¡°They¡¯re a native predator on the. When they¡¯re small they¡¯re just a nuisance. When they get big they be a real threat! We¡¯ve lost vigers on the Ridge to the big ones,¡± Tanz exined.

 102

    ¡°Not intelligent then? No sentience?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No measurable levels. Creatures of instinct, hunger and killing.¡± Tanz said.


    Jack felt a little better with the idea of wearing the coat of another creature. He pulled his on and found it to be very warm. A little too warm maybe. He had to leave the front open.


    ¡°You look like one of us! Almost.¡± Tanz gasped happily.


    ¡°I need to thank the Queen for these lovely, warm coats.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass along the message,¡± the Facilitator said with a smile.


    ¡°If there are no ns for us this afternoon I¡¯d love to do a little shopping in those shops by the pce for gifts for my family back home,¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°The only n I have is to invite you to an informal dinner with some of the senior council and their spouses. You met a fewst night,¡± she replied. ¡°I have an apartment in the pce as well. I¡¯m throwing the dinner party at my ce. You¡¯re all invited.¡±


    When Jack heard the senior council would be there he saw an opportunity to fish for information on the unrest. His work ethic was kicking him in the ass for not addressing the issue Queen Elissa had specifically sent him here to look into. Instead he¡¯d been ying! Now was his chance to finally begin his assignment! He nodded enthusiastically and Tanz gave him a dazzling smile.


    They went back to the cart and this time Jack got to ride up in the front passenger seat as Gee and Bal were toasty and warm in their new coats. Tanz was pleased to havepany up on the front seat too.


    ¡°Is there anything you need for the party?¡± Jack asked her as the cart zipped along the smooth roadway.


    ¡°Need? No, just your attendance!¡± she grinned.


    He smiled and nodded back to her and got another of her whole body smiles. He wasn¡¯t sure how she did that but that¡¯s what it felt like to Jack.


    They went their separate ways in the shopping district, Jack promising to be ready for dinner at 8:30PM, and she said she¡¯d send a guide.


    Jack didn¡¯t have any particr gifts in mind or people he needed to buy something for as they really had everything they needed, but he¡¯d passed through the shopping district several times and it¡¯s energy, colors, and textures drew him. He¡¯d spent so long reviewing products for importing to Altaria he was interested to see what the Shreen were capable of.


    He wandered down thenes looking into the windows, seeing what kinds of products each store was selling. When something caught his eye he made his way inside.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    The first store to do this was a textile shop. One of the bolts of cloth shimmered iridescently and Jack walked in to take a closer look. The shop owner walked up to greet him as he touched the smooth fabric. Deepest blue, bordering on ultra-violet, it caught the ambient light and shimmered. As he moved it with his fingers the fabric appeared to ripple and flow like oil. It was mesmerizing!


    ¡°You have a keen eye!¡± the male said with a grin. ¡°Reaver silk of the finest quality. Strong and beautiful!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a Reaver?¡± Jack asked.


    Eyebrows rose. ¡°Oh, well¡­ it¡¯s a small creature that lives in the lowest levels of the natural caves. Very difficult to locate but their by-product is a strong thread which does peculiar things to light. We collected and wove the thread into these amazing fabrics. Are you thinking of making¡­¡± he looked at the shirt Jack was wearing under the coat. ¡°One of those with this fabric?¡±


    Jack smiled as he imagined how incredible Diana would look in a gown made of this. Oh! SennLann, Eve, and Diana! Maybe Elissa, Karrel and Leffera as well! Gee and Bal only wore their super tough gossamerbat gowns. ¡°No¡­ but I do have some ideas. How difficult is it to work with the fabric?¡±


    ¡°A very hot de will cut it without risk of unraveling the weave. It can also be sealed with a very hot seam press. Did I mention the fabric won¡¯t stain, shrink, and is easily cleaned,¡± the proprietor said eagerly. He could taste the sale. He was sure he would be able to get him to buy at least 4 spans.


    ¡°I assume this fabric is not¡­ inexpensive,¡± Jack said with a slight smile.


    The shop keep pursed his lips thoughtfully. ¡°Astute as well as a keen eye. Made from a rare substance it is highly prized¡­ and valued.


    ¡°How much?¡±


    The male pretended to consider the fabric but the tips of his ears were vibrating, giving away his excitement. ¡°You¡¯d need how much? We sell by the span,¡± he said holding his arms outstretched.


    ¡°No. How much for the entire bolt?¡±


    The male¡¯s face froze. His eyes slowly widened as he took in Jack¡¯s calm expression.


    ¡°I- the entire bolt?¡±


    ¡°Yes, how much,¡± Jack asked again.


    ¡°Let me work that out for you,¡± he replied. He looked at the bolt, confirming it was full and moved off to get his. He punched in the number of spans on a full bolt then hesitated. He nced at Jack and licked his lips. Jack raised an eyebrow and the male seemed to reconsider and punched in a unit cost per span. He pulled his shoulders back and turned the towards Jack.


    It was Jack¡¯s turn to freeze but he did so with no outward signs. He¡¯d had years of practice with keeping his reactions contained in business deals. He seemed to be considering the number. ¡°May I?¡± he said holding out his hand for the. The shop keeper passed it over. Jack punched in a number to reduce the daunting figure by and handed it back. ¡°I was thinking more along the lines of this?¡±


    The male¡¯s eyes went to the new number and his surprise at it¡¯s not being reduced dramatically leaked out, just a little. He covered this up by rubbing his jaw with his hand like he was struggling to ept the number. He raised his finger and tapped another amount to add to Jack¡¯s number and passed it back.


    Jack saw the proprietor had dropped his initial price, but not by much. Cocky. He sighed and the male¡¯s ears visibly twitched.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s just too dear. Shame.¡± Jack said and handed the back.


    ¡°You- you could always reduce the number of spans!¡± the shop keeper said earnestly to salvage the deal. The huge profit he was going for was slipping away!


    ¡°No, the spans are required for the project I have in mind. The Altarian Queen would have looked splendid in that material too.¡± He sighed again.


    ¡°Queen Elissa?¡± the male squeaked.


    Jack blinked at him. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m her consort.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Yes! Of course you are!¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t meant to be.¡± Jack nodded to him and turned to leave.


    ¡°As it¡¯s for the Queen I suppose I could take a harsh discount on the unit cost,¡± the male asserted.


    Jack turned back with a concerned expression. ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t want you to sell it to me at a loss!¡±


    The thought obviously hadn¡¯t urred to him but now he felt like he¡¯d been out manoeuvered. He¡¯d made an overture on behalf of the Altarian Queen and if he didn¡¯t appear to be actually discounting his price significantly for her it might be seen as an insult. Going after the huge profit he¡¯d originally set his price for was now too dangerous. He went back to the original equation and punched in the number of spans once more and multiplied this by¡­ cost plus twenty five percent. It wasn¡¯t the extreme profit he¡¯d lusted after but he certainly wouldn¡¯t be suffering. It was still arge sum. He showed Jack the number as his ear tips trembled.


    ¡°Oh! Are you sure?¡± Jack said, still containing his gasp. There went most of his savings. This was the most expensive thing he¡¯d ever purchased!


    The shop keeper smiled magnanimously. ¡°Of course! For the Queen and yourself!¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much! I will ensure the Queen is informed of your generosity and I¡¯m sure she will love the gift I intend for her,¡± Jack said graciously as he transferred the credits from his to the shop keeper¡¯s.


    The male smiled as he saw this quarter¡¯s budget and most of the next made in one transaction. Knowing the Queen would be aware of this shop was a huge bonus.


    ¡°Could you package it up so I can ship it home?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°Of course sir. One moment!¡± he said and off he went to get some packing materials.


    Gee was wondering what was taking so long so she came into the store and saw Jack touching the gorgeous fabric. She frowned as she smacked his hand away to touch the material herself.


    ¡°This- This is pure Reaver silk!¡± Gee whispered in shock.


    He grinned back at her. ¡°My Reaver silk,¡± Jack said feeling oh so satisfied with his purchase now.


    Gee faced him. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°What do you think I mean? I bought it,¡± his smile beginning to be strained.


    ¡°Bought it? What do you mean, you bought it? How much of it did you buy?¡± she hissed looking around. Now Jack was frowning back at her but they went to neutral expressions when the shop keeper returned with arge tube.


    ¡°You¡¯re in luck! I still have the shipping tube the bolt will fit in. You can take it in that,¡± he said watching the odd expression on the Altarian¡¯s face.


    ¡°Perfect! Thanks!¡± Jack picked up the bolt which was surprisingly heavy for such a thin and light material. He held it up while the male positioned the packing tube under it. Jack gently lowered it all the way in then they sealed the tube.


    Gee¡¯s stare was making Jack ufortable. He thanked the shop keeper and lifted his purchase to his shoulder. He¡¯d have to find a shipping office soon as this was too heavy to carry for long.


    He saw a bench and made his way over to it and sat down. Gee was immediately at his side and Bal was standing before them with a concerned expression.


    ¡°What did he do?¡± Bal asked.


    ¡°What the hell?!? What do you mean by that? I just bought a bolt of fabric! I thought it would make some really pretty gowns! Why are you making such a big deal of this?¡± Jack growled quietly.


    Gee looked up at Bal who looked back at her in question.


    ¡°Tell her what kind of fabric it is,¡± Gee said, keeping her eyes on her partner.


    ¡°Reaver silkmmph-¡± Jack choked to a stop as Bal¡¯s hand covered his mouth as she looked at Gee with wide eyes.


    ¡°What percentage?¡± Bal asked.


    ¡°Pure.¡±


    Bal¡¯s eyes went to the tube. ¡°How much on the bolt?¡±


    Jack was seriously getting bugged by all this cloak and dagger behavior and pulled Bal¡¯s hand from his mouth. ¡°Fifty spans or so! Would one of you please tell me what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Jack, I must confiscate this bolt.¡± Gee said sternly. ¡°For Altarian national security.¡±


    ¡°Like hell! I just spent a small fortune on this. I¡¯m having some gowns made!¡± Jack eximed.


    The two agents shared a look.


    ¡°You know I hate it when you do that!¡± Jack grumbled.


    ¡°How much did you spend?¡± Gee asked.

 103

    Scowling at them Jack took his out and showed them the transaction. Gee felt better when she saw it simply said ¡®a bolt of fabric¡¯. The amount was staggering and they shared another look while Jack just clenched his jaw.


    ¡°Jack, the Altarian Security Ministry will pay you a thousand times this much for the bolt. It¡¯s basically priceless.¡±


    He shook his head in confusion. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    They were alone and Bal nodded to her so Gee opened her fur coat and pulled some of her ckbat gown out through the opening. She looked Jack straight in the eye. ¡°Ten percent Reaver Silk.¡±


    Jack looked at the incredibly strong, protective material she was tucking back beneath her fur coat. ¡°Oh!¡±


    They nodded, relieved he understood atst.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    They groaned.


    He scowled. ¡°No, I get it¡¯s a national security issue now but how can it be such a secret and so rare if this guy is selling an enormous bolt of the stuff?¡±


    Gee looked at Bal who nodded and slipped away to speak to the shop owner. When they were alone Gee spoke softly to Jack. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen so much in one ce and I have never seen it pure. Woven into aposite of other materials it is incredible protection against most hand held weapons from projectile to energy based while still being lightweight. Our supply is¡­ very limited and we¡¯ve never been able to synthesize it sessfully.¡± She looked into his eyes. ¡°You understand we wouldn¡¯t normally share this information but you have a very close rtionship with our Queen and we know you can be discreet.¡±


    Bal returned. Gee nodded to her.


    ¡°There is no more. He indicated his nephew came upon arge old nest and they spent the better part of six years pulling the nest apart one strand at a time. His nephew has never found another nest and is an avid cave traveler.¡±


    ¡°A Spelunker,¡± Jack said.


    They stared at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s another name for someone who explores caves.¡±


    They went back to ignoring him.


    ¡°We must take this back to the Security Ministry directly. It cannot be shipped.¡± Gee said.


    ¡°Can you two carry it?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°What? Why?¡± Gee asked.


    ¡°Because I have a dinner party to attend tonight. I still have a diplomatic mission to aplish and I¡¯ve made no progress at all so far. Tonight I get to feel out the senior council members.¡± They stared at him in shock. ¡°¡®Feel out¡¯ as in pick their brains! I didn¡¯t mean it the other way!¡± he growled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not pleased with the idea of leaving you here on your own but Chrystan is as safe a as Altaria for you. Could you at least help us carry it to the Gate Terminal?¡± Gee asked.


    ¡°How do we get there?¡±


    ¡°We use the cart. It¡¯s self-driven. You tell it ¡®Gate Terminal¡¯ to go there and ¡®Marketce¡¯ to get back. We will call for a lift when we get back which should be soon.


    Jack stood and hoisted his soon to be confiscated fabric for his presents onto his shoulder and followed the two agents out of the shopping district, through the marketce and out to the cart. He gratefully put it down on the back and strapped it down. Gee made to get in the driver¡¯s seat.


    ¡°No, let me as I¡¯ll need to make sure it listens to me so I can get back,¡± Jack exined. Gee nodded to him and moved to the passenger seat. Jack got in the driver¡¯s position and pressed his finger to the spot he saw Tanz touch.


    ¡°Authorizing. Ambassador Jack Danner. Do you require assistance?¡± a voice said out of the speaker.


    ¡°No, I just need to drive to the Gate Terminal and back. Is that ok?¡± he responded.


    ¡°Authorized. State the Destination.¡±


    Jack realized he was talking to a machine. ¡°Gate Terminal.¡±


    The cart powered up and got them on their way. Jack looked over at Gee. ¡°It looks like this will be fine. I can try to send the cart back to the Gate Terminal for you if you like.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please. That will expedite our return,¡± she stated.


    They rode on in silence and the cart dutifully parked in the lot. Jack carried the package up the ramp into the Gate Terminal. Then he waited for them to arrange for a Gate. When they were ready they stood before him.


    ¡°We are going to have to make a report to Hellna. This means we will not be back untilte tonight or maybe early tomorrow morning,¡± Gee exined.


    ¡°Do not do anything you think we would disapprove of,¡± Bal said seriously.


    Jack sighed and lifted the package one more time. The agents braced themselves and he gently ced it on their shoulders. They wobbled a little but managed to stay upright. Without a nce backwards they stiffly marched towards the Gate and stepped through.


    And Jack was alone.


    He had to admit that being without his Altarianpanions for the first time since he was rescued from the Allsa Komanae made him¡­ a little nervous. Then he thought back to the years he spent on Earth after his parents passed. The years he spentrgely alone. Moving from one job opportunity to another. From one city to another. He didn¡¯t have anyone he could rely on and he¡¯d survived on a world far more hostile to Humans than Chrystan.


    His unease faded and some of the old Jack resurfaced. He had a job to do.


    He made his way back to the cart and went through the authorization routine once more but got the cart to take him back to the marketce. He even managed to get it to go back to the Gate Terminal on its own. He felt pretty pleased with himself about that!


    The marketce was still hopping and he paused a moment to breathe in the interesting and subtle scents from the produce on sale. He really wasn¡¯t sure which foods would agree with him so he didn¡¯t purchase any but the shapes, colors, textures, and scents were a feast for the senses. He was gathering attention as well so he moved on.


    Walking back into the shopping district he realized he still had quite a bit of time before the party. He went back to mooching around in a few stores that sold toys and found small gifts for Emily and Joseph. He was struggling to find something the twins would enjoy. Their ravenous minds were advancing at a breathtaking rate, leaving their siblings behind.


    He was passing a store which sold puzzles and toys when he saw the perfect gift for them. Grinning, he immediately bought a few in case they broke, damaged, or lost the toy. He couldn¡¯t wait to see them put their active little minds to work on these.


    Moving on he looked for something for thedies as his dress idea seemed like it was going to be a bust. Jack found a jewellery store which had lovely and unique bracelets and bangles. He picked out a few items and noticed the three clerks were all smiling at him strangely.


    ¡°This certainly seems like a happy shop,¡± he said to the clerkpleting his transaction.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said unable to contain her glee.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Really, everyone is so happy!¡± Jack said indicating her grinning coworkers. Jack thought back to his little walk through the marketce and shopping district and considering the rumors of unrest he realized there hadn¡¯t been any sign of seething hostility, discontent, despair, or even boredom. Especially not in this store.


    They giggled.


    ¡°We¡¯re just so thrilled to have you in our shop!¡± one gushed to him.


    Jack blinked at her in surprise. ¡°Really? Why?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re the sex specialist!¡± the quiet one blurted and the group burst into giggles once more.


    Jack¡¯s face must have shown his shock well as all three giggled harder.


    ¡°Who called me that?¡± Jack gasped.


    ¡°They call you that on the Entertainment channels,¡± the clerk who finished his transaction said as she handed him his purchases. He stuffed the small bag in with the toys.


    ¡°Sex Specialist? I don¡¯t think I¡¯mfortable with that. It sounds too much like an official title, like something you¡¯d give someone who went through years of advanced educations to be a doctor not a love doctor,¡± he groaned.


    ¡°LOVE DOCTOR!¡± the quiet one moaned excitedly and the three began trilling. Loudly.


    Jack nodded to them and hastily retreated from the shop. Hiding in his room until the party seemed like a good idea suddenly.


    Spotting a shop that sold something he wanted to bring to the party he ducked in and purchased arge bottle of Lussht. It was the only beverage he recognized.


    As he made his way back to the pce he began to notice he was being noticed more than before. They smiled. They nodded. They giggled and trilled. He smiled and nodded back but it was a little unnerving.


    Finally he slipped inside the pce doors and made his way to his room. He only spotted a few Shreen on the way and none did more than nod in his direction so he felt a little better by the time he was behind his door. He draped the fur coat over the couch and dropped onto the cushions to rx a moment. He peeked into his shopping bag and grinned at the items he had thinking of the smiles they would make.


    Seeing the time he realized he had plenty of time to freshen up. He pushed himself to his feet and went into the bedroom to select an outfit for the party. He took out some fresh clothes, his dark blue silk shirt and ck dress cks as he wanted to look nice for the party. It was casual but soft.


    He went into the bathroom and had a nice long hot shower. He cleaned himself thoroughly and washed his long hair. He wished he¡¯d remembered to bring a rubber band to tie it back or even a ribbon.

 104

    He had a quick shave, a little deodorant, then slipped on his clothes. Not too shabby.


    He went back out to the living room and settled down to wait. He probably could have spent a little more time mooching around the shopping district but recalling his security detail¡¯s plea for him to limit the chaos, hiding in his room seemed more sensible.


    >>>>>


    He bid his escort to Tanz¡¯s apartment a good night and turned to face the door. The fellow had led him deep into the pce and up a few levels so he wondered if they were close to the surface as the royal apartment had been. Pulling his shoulders back he knocked.


    Momentster Tanz opened the door and gave him a dazzling smile. He smiled in return.


    ¡°Come in, please! Wee to my home!¡± Tanz gushed.


    Jack stepped inside and she closed the door. ¡°I never like to arrive empty handed so I brought this,¡± he said handing her the bottle.


    ¡°Lussht! Perfect! I¡¯ll put this in a chiller for after dinner! Where are your Altarian friends?¡± she asked.


    ¡°They had a¡­ work issue to deal with tonight but they did want me to thank you for the invitation,¡± Jack replied.


    ¡°No chaperone then. Good!¡± she said with an impish grin. ¡°Come meet the other guests!¡±


    He was smiling at her enthusiasm as he followed her into her apartment. There was arge bathroom just to his left and further along on the right was an entrance to a huge kitchen with delicious aromas wafting out. His mouth watered. He caught a glimpse of the kitchen being open into the next room then he was past the doorway. When they exited the hall into the living area he caught his breath. Much like the royal apartment the room was circr and dominated by a deep pit of cushions. This time however, instead of having a window on the far wall showing a view of the valley and sky, there was a huge dome window over the pit. As Jack walked forward slowly he looked up, his jaw dropping open in awe. The night sky was filled with stars and each was twinkling back at him.


    ¡°Oh my god, this is spectacr!¡± Jack whispered almost reverently. He could imagine reclining back on the cushions staring up at the stars for hours.


    ¡°I¡¯m so pleased you like my apartment and its amazing view,¡± Tanz said warmly.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Jack was pulled back to the here and now. ¡°Yes, your ce is gorgeous!¡± he remarked taking in thefortable furnishings and lovely art. He spotted three couples waiting to be¡­ reintroduced. He did recall meeting them the night before. OK, show time. His brain went into overdrive.


    ¡°Minister Berris and Hahn! So nice to see you again! Minister Mirs and Geng, a delight! Minister Phan and Minister Julli, good to see you too!¡± Jack said making his way through the group. The skill of remembering names and titles he¡¯d picked up in his job as Altarian Ambassador came in handy. Each was delighted to be remembered and their spouses were equally pleased as so often they were not.


    He ran through his mnemonic patterns to recall the positions each minister had in the Queen¡¯s council.


    Berris was in charge of Agriculture and Health and her husband Hahn was a doctor.


    Mirs, one of the two males in the cab, handled the Employment and Social Development portfolio while Geng took care of their children and ran a daycare with a neighbor.


    The only husband and wife team in the cab, Phan was the Queen¡¯s Minister of Finance and the only other male. Julli was Minister of Tourism, a portfolio which currently had no off ambitions. Jack had other ideas about that.


    These were people who would have deep insight into the current state of the.


    He¡¯d learned the poption of Chrystan was holding steady at roughly 750 million. This was fifty percent higher than when they were evacuated from their original home world. Better living conditions and improved diet were cited as reasons for the increase. The Shreen seemed to have an automatic mechanism for self-regting their poption in rtion to their environment¡¯s resources. A concept that eluded Humanity¡¯s grasp to this day.


    ¡°Dinner is ready so if you woulde this way,¡± Tanz gestured and led them into afortable dining room with a beautifully decorated round table which facilitated conversation. She quickly removed two ce settings and chairs as Geng helped spread out the remaining ones. She sat Jack with his back to the wall, facing the entrance to the living room, and without Gee and Bal present they were able to use a boy/girl seating arrangement. Covered dishes on the table contained the meal and Tanz began lifting off the lids. The scents were strange but appetizing and soon everyone was scooping out their favorites onto their tes.


    Tanz returned from the kitchen where she¡¯d put his bottle of Lussht in a chiller. She sat next to Jack and pointed out the dishes that were best suited to a human metabolism. It was warmer here at the table so Jack slipped the coat off his shoulders and let the chair take it.


    They began talking about the hot springs which led to how difficult it was to take time off from their busy schedules to go to the hot springs. This segued into talking about their different positions and areas of influence. They were all proud of their work and satisfied with the progress they believe they made every day.


    While Jack gleaned a good bit of information about the current health of majorponents of their society and it appeared very healthy indeed, he was no closer to finding the source of the troubles Queen Elissa mentioned. Perhaps it was a ss gap? He¡¯d been spending time amongst the leaders of the world¡¯s government and those closest to it, the city residents in the world¡¯s capitol. He would be visiting the other side soon, going deep into the countryside to a vige where the resort was located. Perhaps he¡¯d discover a disconnection between the government and its people. Understandably, 750 million people were a lot of individuals to keep happy. The local residents probably didn¡¯t represent aplete view and may not be an urate representation. He would have to see.


    ¡°Jack?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm?¡±


    ¡°We lost you there for a second,¡± Tanz teased.


    ¡°Sorry! My mind was so busy absorbing all this fascinating information while my body is digesting all this fabulous food!¡±


    Tanz gestured across the table where an excited looking Berris was waiting to ask her question again.


    ¡°I was wondering if you¡¯ve had any jobs where you had to live in conditions like we have on the surface.¡±


    Jack¡¯s mind immediately went to his time as a Park Ranger and he smiled. The other guests at the table leaned forward unconsciously.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had many, many different upations in my life but yes, I¡¯ve had to work, and live, in conditions very much like the ones above us. It was back on Earth many years ago when I worked as a Park Ranger.¡± He caught the question on Berris¡¯ tongue before she asked it. ¡°Earth hasnd set aside for public recreational use. Nomercial development allowed. Natural ces in a world overrun by¡­ never mind. The point of these parks is to preserve what little natural beauty we have left. Park Rangers protect thend by working as watchmen. Solitary guardians. The job didn¡¯t pay a lot but it was a job and I was good at it. Working the winter season was brutal but paid a little more so I took the job.¡±


    ¡°What made it brutal?¡± Berris asked.


    ¡°Well, it was cold. Like it is upstairs. It was starkly white. Also like upstairs. But mostly it was the solitude. The closest you¡¯de to another human being during those long, cold winter months was when a military air transport flew by overhead, way up in the sky. A tiny silver reflection of sunlight off metal. Those were the only moments you¡¯d know you weren¡¯t the only human left on Earth.¡±


    ¡°You must have had some means tomunicate with the world outside the Park!¡± Hahn argued.


    ¡°Sure. The Ranger posts had a direct line to the Park Headquarters. We could call anytime.¡±


    ¡°There!¡± Hahn blurted in relief, knowing there was no way Human¡¯s would impose such istion on another.


    ¡°Budget cuts eliminated the permanent staff in the headquarters during the winter months. We could leave a message on an automated receiver. These would be reviewed once a month when the regional supervisor made his rounds,¡± Jack exined.


    The table went silent. Istion was not something the Shreen endured for long.


    ¡°One of the job requirements was to be able to keep it together mentally for the four or so months it took to get through the winter. Mostly nothing happened during those months. The silence was deafening. I did a lot of reading. No electronics. Actual paper books. The Ranger post I worked out of had hundreds of them. There was usually enough food and if things got desperate we were allowed to hunt but that had its own dangers.¡±


    ¡°You hunted for your food?¡± Geng asked, a forkful of something red forgotten halfway to her mouth.


    The memory still made Jack flinch. ¡°Once.¡± He looked around and saw he had every eye on him. He sighed and continued.


    ¡°There was a weird atmospheric event that winter which drew pr air south over the ocean and down the western coastline of the country I lived in. The snow that fell crippled our transportation lines, food shipments failed to reach their destinations and the bitterly cold temperatures froze water lines and downed our surface power grid. We had shortages of water as well as fuel. People who lived in houses with fireces went back to burning stuff for heat. Many hadn¡¯t used the fireces in years what with the price of firewood being so high. Many didn¡¯t know how to use a firece. There were a lot of house fires and a lot of people died from that or just freezing to death in the dark. Panic set in and it took the army mping down on the movement of people to settle the situation. My shipment of supplies never made it and I only had another month of food rations. I was going to have to hunt while I could. The Ranger post had a powerful rifle and I knew there was a herd of deer moving through so I packed up my gear and headed out wearing snow shoes.¡± At the curious look he smiled. ¡°Our feet are much narrower than yours so we wear special shoes to spread our weight out over the snow so we don¡¯t sink.¡± They nodded.


    ¡°I was a couple of hours out from the Ranger post, as far as I was willing to go that day when I heard the sound of a tree falling. I got closer and I saw a man had cut down four trees, sawed them into logs and was stacking them on a trailer behind a snow crawler, like a cart with tracks instead of wheels. He was working on the fifth tree when I got there. I yelled out for him to stop and he shot at me.¡±


    There was a gasp.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t a soldier or really good with the weapon. Just a desperate man stealing wood to heat his home in the winter. I have no idea where the bullet went but it didn¡¯t hit me. I got behind a tree and yelled at him to stop shooting. Then I heard a loud growl and screaming. I looked around and saw the man trying to shoot a veryrge bear with his tiny handgun.¡± Once more he saw their question. ¡°A bear? Well, they can get really big, this one was, and are densely muscled and heavily furred. Long sharp ws on all four limbs and incredibly strong. Wide jaws with sharp teeth. Small ck eyes with poor vision but a keen sense of smell. They usually leave people alone but there are times where they be a most dangerous predator.¡±

 105

    The Shreen conferred with each other momentarily and Jack heard ¡®Skrahak¡¯ mentioned. Then Tanz shushed them so Jack could continue. Her eyes were wide with excitement.


    ¡°The man never had a chance with his handgun. The bullets just angered the bear. It reared up on its back legs and struck the man¡¯s head with a massive paw. Caved his skull right in, killing him in one blow. Stupidly, I screamed. The bear turned and started to run towards me.¡±


    More gasps.


    ¡°The rifle was on my back so I dropped the pack, pulled the rifle forward, and flipped off the safety. I think I might have wet myself I was so scared. Then the bear was in front of me and the rifle went off with a loud boom.¡±


    ¡°Did it get you?¡± Geng shrieked excitedly and the red stuff on her fork flew off tond on her husband¡¯s cheek.


    The table erupted withughter except for Mirs who was wiping his face in annoyance.


    Jack grinned at the female who was struggling to exin what she meant while the others gasped at the silliness of her question. He held up his hand to quiet the group. ¡°Obviously I survived but I had to throw myself to the side after I pulled the trigger as it was charging. It still partially crashed into me and knocked the rifle from my hands and the wind from my lungs. As Iy there dazed on the ground I wondered when it would begin to eat me. It didn¡¯t so I sat up and saw I¡¯d been incredibly lucky. My bullet had caught the bear between the eyes. I searched for and found my rifle and put it with my pack. I didn¡¯t have much time before it got dark so I dumped the cut wood over the man¡¯s body as a temporary burial to protect his corpse from predators looking for a quick meal. Then I used my knife and the man¡¯s sonic saw to butcher the bear and used the snow crawler and trailer to bring the bear meat back to the Ranger post. It helped me survive the winter but I was fired in the spring when I returned to Ranger headquarters. They didn¡¯t me me for how I handled the situation but the public was pissed off that as a public servant I didn¡¯t protect the man. My bosses fired me as ¡®punishment¡¯ for them. It was a bad time.¡±


    ¡°You eat meat?¡± Hahn asked quietly.


    ¡°On asion,¡± he responded carefully. ¡°Humans are omnivores but on Altaria and here I restrict my diet to the local food.¡±


    ¡°Would you eat an insect?¡± Hahn continued.


    ¡°Hahn!¡± Tanz cried.


    ¡°No it¡¯s fine! This reminds me of when I was a kid and a bunch of us would dare each other to eat more and more revolting things to prove how tough we were and how much of a weeny the other guy was,¡± Jack grinned.


    ¡°Weeny?¡± Berris asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a childhood taunt. We used it on kids who were afraid of everything,¡± he exined.


    ¡°How tough were you?¡± Hahn asked curiously.


    ¡°The toughest kid on my block!¡± Jack grinned. ¡°Until Tommy Berretti ate a Brazilian cockroach he stole from the zoo.¡± He gestured howrge the bug was. ¡°Then he beat me up. Fame is fickle and fleeting. I¡¯ve learned it¡¯s better to keep your head down and avoid it.¡±N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    That earned him some chuckles and nods.


    They finished up their meals and Tanz suggested they move to the living room to enjoy some after dinner drinks. Jack slipped his shoes off before descending into the cushions.


    When she brought the chiller out with the bottle of Lussht he¡¯d brought Jack promised himself he would limit his intake tonight.


    The small sses were handed out and Tanz got everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°There is a new tradition we will follow tonight. The Queen told me about it this morning.¡± There were a few giggles from the group and excited nces in Jack¡¯s direction. ¡°Nobody drink until I say to, ok?¡± Nods all around. She added a small amount of Lussht to each ss and put the bottle back in the chiller.


    ¡°Now, we raise our sses and one of us makes a statement indicating something or someone we are honoring. Everyone repeats what they said and we drink.¡± She looked at Jack. ¡°Am I doing it right?¡±


    ¡°Perfectly.¡±


    She beamed a smile at him. ¡°Could you do the first one?¡±


    ¡°I would be honored,¡± he said formally making her giggle.


    ¡°I would like to toast our wonderful host for making us an amazing meal and for gathering us together in a home as weing and beautiful as she is. To Tanz!¡± He looked at the stunned expressions on the faces around him. ¡°Uh, you only have to say thatst part.¡±


    ¡°To TANZ!¡± they cheered and Jack grinned at the woman who was looking just a little ovee but happy. They tossed back the liquid.


    This time he paid especially close attention to determine what it was about the taste that was so tantalizingly recognizable. Ice down the throat and boom! Heat in the belly. He sighed. He¡¯d missed it again. Maybe one more. He was ok after two.


    The bottle went around the sses once more and Phan, who had been quiet all night leaned forward. ¡°May I make the second toast?¡±


    Tanz nodded and gestured for him to proceed.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He smiled bashfully to the others. ¡°In light of the renewed love between our Queen and King I would like to make a toast to their love, may it serve as an example for all of us to follow, and inspire us to rekindle our own rtionships! To love!¡±


    ¡°TO LOVE!¡± they bellowed and down went the Lussht.


    Jack closed his eyes and felt the bloom of heat fill his being. He wasn¡¯t sure but he thought that happened muchter in his drinking the night before. He opened his eyes and smiled at Phan. ¡°You know, you really have the heart of a poet.¡± The male dipped his eyes bashfully but his wife rubbed her face against his and he smiled lovingly at her.


    Seeing the love in the couple¡¯s eyes Jack nced conspiratorially over to Tanz. ¡°You know it¡¯s the quiet ones that hide so much passion inside.¡±


    The group burst into giggles and Jack couldn¡¯t stop a brief snort of his own from escaping.


    He looked down and saw the small sses were suddenly half full. He was going to protest but this small amount would be fine.


    ¡°Who would like to make the next toast?¡± Tanz asked.


    ¡°Oh! I have one!¡± Geng said excitedly. She lifted her ss and looked at Jack. ¡°To the love doctor!¡±


    Jack¡¯s hand wobbled in surprise and he spilled some of his drink onto his hand. Before the liquid could drip from his fingers he transferred the ss to his other hand and licked his fingers clean. The slippery stuff had gotten between his fingers so he had to chase it with his tongue. When he nced up after sucking his fingers clean he saw seven pairs of eyes locked on him. The bloom of warmth was making him tingle so he just smiled. ¡°Sorry, what were we toasting again?¡±


    Tanz burst into giggles which triggered the others. They raised their sses and mmed them back.


    Jack shrugged and finished off his ss. This time he really felt the rush and his head was drifting up into the clouds.


    ¡°Jack?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm?¡± he said turning his head towards the smooth voice.


    ¡°How did you be a sex specialist?¡± Tanz asked.


    He snorted in amusement and shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s silly. I¡¯m no such thing!¡± he said with a grin.


    ¡°Is love doctor the right term?¡± she continued.


    He focused on her lovely dark grey eyes, looking into his curiously. His mind was caught in a loop with that term. This wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d heard it. When had he heard it first? Oh! In the shop today¡­ but¡­


    ¡°Where did you hear that term?¡± he asked her.


    She grinned and the others did as well. ¡°It¡¯s on the entertainment news. You were in a shop and somedies heard you say it. The title is very popr!¡±


    Jack groaned. ¡°I was teasing! I don¡¯t consider myself a love doctor or a sex specialist or even that knowledgeable on the topic. I like sex. A lot! I appreciate beauty where I see it but that doesn¡¯t make be special or unique and certainly not an expert. I just know a few things.¡±


    ¡°Teacher,¡± Julli gasped, eyes twinkling with excitement.


    ¡°To learning new things!¡± Tanz said lifting her ss.


    Jack looked in his ss and it was full. He didn¡¯t recall anyone pouring but he tossed it back with the others.


    The stars were so beautiful and he was so fortunate to be flying amongst them. So warm andfortable.


    ¡°Jack?¡±


    There was that delicious voice again. He smiled and turned his head to the side. Large soft eyes were looking back at him.


    ¡°Will you share your lessons with us?¡± Tanz asked gently. She was so sweet he thought.


    ¡°What little I know I will dly share,¡± he said with a nod and heard a trilling sound. He pushed himself up on the cushions to a seated position and saw the happy faces of the other guests looking back at him. ¡°Hello!¡±

 106

    Giggles erupted.


    He looked at Tanz. She was so very lovely. ¡°What¡­ what would you like to know?¡±


    She smiled that whole body smile at him and his eyes widened in delight. She was absolutely radiant!


    ¡°We¡¯d like to know about¡­ the other ways to make love,¡± she asked breathlessly.


    He smiled and shook his head. ¡°Which ones? There are many ways-¡±


    Excited trilling burst out from a few guests.


    ¡°All of them!¡± Tanz gushed leaning closer to Jack.


    He chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have that kind of time.¡± Her face was so close to his. ¡°I would like to kiss you though. Would that be alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes Jack! The Queen mentioned something about kissing!¡± she breathed.


    The image of Queen¡¯s face close to his and her reaction to his kiss returned to his mind and he felt himself begin to swell. That felt sooo gooood. He smiled. ¡°I only showed her the initial stage of kissing.¡±


    He reached up to the back of Tanz¡¯s head and ran his fingers through the thick fur there. Her eyes became dreamy then flew wide as his lips caressed hers. The dreamy look came back full force as he nibbled his way across her mouth. When he pulled back she was swooning.


    ¡°Ohhh that was nice!¡± she sighed.


    ¡°How was it done? I could not see!¡± Julli moaned.


    Tanz¡¯s eyes went big. ¡°You must show her Jack! Then she can show Phan!¡±


    Jack looked over at Julli who was smiling back at him eagerly and a little nervously. He was surprised and looked at Phan who was nodding. He moved up onto his knees and moved closer gesturing for Julli to do the same. Once they met in the middle he took in the differences Julli had to Tanz. She had much lighter coloration in her fur. Her front was almost butter yellow with grey rosettes and stripes while the longer fur was dark grey. Her eyes were light grey and wide with excitement.


    ¡°This is just the initial touch. It¡¯s gentle and light and very sexy.¡± Jack said to his audience while he kept his eyes on hers. He gently held her face between his fingertips and she was already gasping from that. He looked at her to see if she was ok and she looked at him expectantly. He leaned in and gently kissed her trembling lips.


    ¡°Ooohhh!¡± Julli moaned and slumped against him.


    Jack looked at her in surprise then over to Phan who was looking back in rm.


    Julli began to resurface and Jack moved her into the arms of her husband.


    ¡°I think that was a little too much for her,¡± Jack said in surprise.


    Tanz knee walked out to Jack¡¯s side on the cushioned surface. ¡°It is all so new to us and you are so different. It can be¡­ overwhelming.¡±


    ¡°It was much easier to see what you did when you were in the middle. Perhaps you could demonstrate with Tanz and we could repeat with our spouses?¡± Hahn suggested.


    Tanz nodded excitedly as she looked into Jack¡¯s eyes. Then she focused on his mouth hungrily and Jack¡¯s libido woke up again. He leaned in and kissed her as his hands massaged her scalp by her ears. She moaned and trembled as his mouth moved on hers. He pulled back and they were both breathing hard.


    He looked to the others and they turned to their partners and mirrored his actions fairly closely.


    ¡°Slower Hahn. Savor the moment,¡± he suggested gently. The male slowed and Berris sighed.


    ¡°Geng, you may kiss Mirs at the same time he is kissing you. It feels better when both partners are actively participating.¡±


    All of them picked up on that tip and soon moans were heard from the couples.


    Jack smiled at Tanz and she suddenly leaned in to kiss him again. He was a little surprised but this time he caressed her lips with the tip of his tongue. She pulled back and trilled as her body went through a tremble.


    ¡°What? I missed that!¡± Hahn blurted.


    Tanz was looking at Jack¡¯s mouth hungrily again. ¡°He stroked my lips with his tongue!¡±


    ¡°Just the tip and lightly,¡± Jack corrected.


    ¡°More!¡± Tanz moaned and pressed her body against his as she kissed him back. Her tongue came out to y and Jack struggled not to smile as he teased it with his own. Her body was grinding against his and her breathing wasing in gulps. He was seriously tenting his pants and she was rubbing against him.


    Jack sucked her tongue into his mouth and Tanz made a garbled trill and sagged in his arms as her eyes rolled back. Jack tried to hold her up but the cushions under him were a poor foundation and he toppled back with her in his arms. At least thending was soft though her body was heavy on top of his.


    Faces appeared above his. Phan and Julli were looking down at him with excitement and concern warring in their expressions. ¡°Jack! Are you alright?¡± Phan asked.


    Jack chuckled as Tanz wasing around. ¡°Yes, I think she just got a little too excited.¡±


    ¡°Jack. Jack. Jack,¡± she mumbled as she began to rub against him.


    ¡°What did you do there at the end?¡± Hahn asked, always sounding a little petnt at missing something fun.


    ¡°We were caressing tongues and I sucked on hers,¡± he said and heard Berris trill excitedly. From his position under Tanz he couldn¡¯t see anyone else but he certainly heard the muffled trilling they made as they tried out this new kind of kissing.


    ¡°Jack you are so big. I want to make love to you but you won¡¯t fit.¡± Tanz moaned softly.


    ¡°Other ways, Tanz,¡± he sighed.


    She pushed herself up to look into his face. ¡°Show me these other ways! Show me!¡±


    Jackughed and she smiled down at him. She made a happy noise, pushed herself off and grabbed the bottle of Lussht to take a mouthful. Then she leaned over Jack and pressed her mouth to his. He parted his lips and she let half of the Lussht slide down her tongue into his mouth.


    As he swallowed he realized she¡¯d given him quite a bit this time. The bloom of heat shot out to the edges of his body and he sighed as everything felt so incredibly good and intense!


    She sat back smiling shyly at him as he got back up to his knees. For a moment the room threatened to elerate away from him but he focused on her and he caught up.


    ¡°That was a very sexy way to share the Lussht. Thank you!¡± Jack said to her. Julli grabbed the bottle, took a swig and pushed her husband down onto his back to kiss him some of the drink. Berris did the same as did Geng.


    ¡°The other ways!¡± Tanz begged cutely.


    Jack began unbuttoning his shirt and her eyes twinkled happily as he pushed it back off his shoulders. He tossed it up onto the ledge that ran around the pit. Her eyes went immediately to the ve cor.


    ¡°Ohhh! It¡¯s beautiful!¡± she gasped and her hand twitched.


    ¡°You may touch it if you¡¯d like,¡± he said and her hand was immediately sliding over the delicate patterns etched into each.


    ¡°It- It¡¯s connected to you!¡± she blurted when she realized it didn¡¯t move freely.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Hahn was immediately next to them. ¡°May I?¡± he asked.


    Jack nodded and Hahn examined the links very closely and touched them to see their movement.


    ¡°How are they connected?¡± the doctor asked.


    ¡°Millions of microscopic metallic tendrils bonded to my nervous system,¡± Jack said quoting the Chuuruthian doctor.


    Hahn¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°The Allsa Komanae. Permanent?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯ming to terms with that.¡± Jack said and was surprised by how calm he was. Instead of the fear and depression he normally fought against he just felt echoes of them. He sighed in relief.


    Each of the guests came forward timidly and he let them all examine the cor with their fingers. He realized he really wasing to terms with the cor. Finally.


    Once they moved back Tanz smiled at him and reached for the fastener on her kilt.


    ¡°Wait. Please allow me,¡± Jack urged and she smiled and nodded to him. He undid his pants and dropped them, tugging them off and tossing them up on the ledge with his shirt. Now all he had on were silk boxers which he was tenting.


    He guided her onto her back in the middle of the pit and leaned over her to kiss her again. She moaned happily. He moved his lips down her neck and kissed his way down to the waistband of her kilt. He undid the fastener and slowly peeled it back as he followed the fabric with his lips. She was writhing on the cushions and panting in nervous excitement.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to eat her are you?¡± Hahn asked suspiciously.


    Jack snorted as that was exactly what he intended.


    ¡°Nothing painful as that. The asional bite,¡± he nipped at the inside of her thigh and she spasmed. ¡°¡­ and scratch.¡± He dragged his nails over the inside of her other thigh and she trilled.


    When he kissed her just above her wet lower lips her hips came up off of the cushions and he pulled the kilt from under her. She lifted her head to look down at him desperately. Jack made sure he had everyone¡¯s attention then he ran the tip of his tongue around her opening, stroking the tendrils and gathering up her sweet fluids.


    ¡°AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!¡± Tanz cried out and everyone jumped. Hahn looked like he was going to intervene but Jack had been keeping an eye on him since his question about eating her. He had a hand up to stop Hahn then pointed to Tanz¡¯s face as he continued to stroke her with his tongue.


    It quickly became apparent that Tanz was not in pain when she grabbed Jack¡¯s horns and ground his face against her wetness.


    ¡°NNNNNNNnnnnngggggaaaaahhhhh!¡± she grunted as the intense sensations tore through her.


    When Jack switched to sliding his tongue deep inside her she began to shake and jolt. He pressed his lips to her lower ones and thrashed her with his tongue.


    ¡°AAAAHHHH!!! AAAHHHHH! GGAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!¡± she screamed as she gushed over Jack¡¯s face. He tried pulling back but she had a death grip on his horns. He had to wait for her to rx before he coulde up for air.


    Finally her body rocked through itsst jolt and he pulled free. He looked up at Tanz¡¯s face and saw her eyes were closed and she was breathing hard. He wiped her juices off of his chin and sucked the honey vor from his fingers.


    He looked at the shocked faces of the others and smiled. ¡°Delicious!¡±


    Thedies all gathered around Tanz¡¯s face as her eyes rolled and she panted.


    ¡°Tanz? Are you ok?¡± Geng asked gently.


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    They nced at each other over their friend¡¯s face.


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    Expressions became nervous and the men looked ufortable.


    ¡°So goooooooooood,¡± Tanz finally managed to get out.


    ¡°I hope you were watching closely because I don¡¯t think Tanz will be up for another demonstration for a little while.¡± Jack said to the men.

 107

    Surprising Jack, Tanz lifted her head to look at him. Her eyes looked a little dazed but there was no mistaking the heat in that expression. Thedies helped her sit up and she clung to them for support when the extra pressure on her groin made her tingle sharply once more.


    ¡°It was good?¡± Geng asked and once more her friendsughed at her question.


    ¡°Yes, Geng it was incredible! I liked it very much!¡± She sighed. ¡°Jack is right, though. I need to rest.¡± She paused then looked at Jack. ¡°Did I¡­ did I grab your horns?¡± she asked meekly.


    Jackughed and nodded. ¡°Only with all of your strength. I could tell it was a goooo-¡± The room went soft focus and Jack slumped back on the cushions as the first wave sted him with euphoria. It felt wonderful but in the back of Jack¡¯s mind a voice was saying it was too soon¡­ and too strong.


    ¡°Jack?¡±


    Eyes closed, he could only smile as that voice sounded so smooth and sweet. Like¡­ honey. ¡°Yes, honey?¡± He chuckled at his little joke. The voices were quiet as they talked amongst themselves. His mind tried to put names to the voices but sometimes he couldn¡¯t get his brain to cooperate.


    ¡°Did he call me ¡®honey¡¯? What¡¯s honey?¡±


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯s experiencing his waves?¡± Definitely Phan.


    ¡°Something is trying to escape from the garment he is wearing!¡±


    ¡°Ah! Yes, I saw it when we were at the hot spring! That¡¯s his sexual organ. It¡¯s on the outside and intes when he is excited.¡± Beautiful Tanz.


    ¡°Intes? With air?¡± A deeper¡­ male voice. Probably Hahn.


    Giggles.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ inte was the wrong word. No, it gets hot so it¡¯s probably blood.¡± Definitely Tanz.


    ¡°You felt it!?!¡± That was¡­ Geng.


    ¡°identally!¡± A pause. ¡°It was very hot and hard!¡±


    ¡°I want to see it!¡± An excited Julli.


    ¡°It¡¯s moving on its own!¡±


    ¡°Jack, can we see it?¡±


    He was starting to drift back into his body and he felt himself throbbing in his boxers. He hadn¡¯t heard the question but knew someone said his name. ¡°Yes?¡±


    There was a tugging sensation then gasps.


    ¡°Why is it so big?¡±


    Jack began to chuckle.


    ¡°What¡¯s funny, Jack?¡± Tanz asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not big. I¡¯m just average sized. I¡¯m very ttered though. Thank you,¡± he sighed with a smile.


    ¡°Why would he feel ttered about having an inefficientlyrge fertilization delivery organ?¡± Hahn asked.


    A bold hand grasped Jack¡¯s cock.


    ¡°It is hot and hard!¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Jack opened his eyes and saw thedies all sitting back on their feet as they knelt next to his outstretched legs. Julli was the one holding him but she removed her hand so Berris could try. Finally Geng squeezed him in her grip.


    ¡°Easy on the plumbing Geng, I may want to use it someday!¡± Jack chuckled.


    The husbands were sitting behind their wives. Because he was tingling so wonderfully Jack had a naughty idea. He grinned slyly as he looked at the men.


    ¡°What¡¯s that look for?¡± Hahn asked suspiciously.


    ¡°Something you¡¯re gonna like. A lot!¡± Jack purred. He looked to the wives. ¡°Ladies, it¡¯s time for your husbands to show you how much they learned watching Tanz and me.¡±


    Berris¡¯ eyes lit up as she was very eager to experience the licking method. She was unsure if her husband would be willing.


    ¡°I¡¯m not-¡± he began.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a weeny, are you Hahn?¡± Jack said with an evil grin. ¡°There are definite rewards if you do this and only disappointment if you don¡¯t.¡±


    Hahn looked at Jack, unsure how to respond.


    ¡°Trust me on this Hahn. Yourdy will love it and you will be greatly rewarded!¡± Jack cajoled the male who finally nodded. Berris trilled and rubbed her face on his and he couldn¡¯t stop himself from returning the affection.


    When Berris began to move to lie on her back Jack spoke up. ¡°No. Stay on your knees but don¡¯t sit down. Lift your bottoms for your partners and spread your legs. Alright boys, you know what to do. Get those tongues working! Listen to their reactions and repeat the stuff they like.¡±


    Phan was the first to nt his face between his wife¡¯s cheeks. She trilled with delight and pressed back as he worked her feverishly with his tongue.


    ¡°OH! OH! OH! YES! PHAN! YES!¡± she gasped.


    Not to be outdone by the Minister of Finance, Hahn energetically if sloppily began licking up and down. Jack saw the frustration on Berris¡¯ face. ¡°Stiffen your tongue Hahn! Rub and probe, circle and suck.¡± Berris immediately began trilling happily as Hahn altered his method.


    Geng dropped her face to the cushions with her ass in the air as Mirs took her to heaven and back.


    Tanz watched her friends all experiencing the bliss she¡¯d had and smiled down at Jack who looked like he was going through another wave. She reached out and took his cock in her hand, marvelling at the heat, firmness, and its soft texture. Jack closed his eyes as bliss swept through him.


    ¡°Jack, I want to give you pleasure. Tell me how!¡± she said softly.


    He opened his eyes and saw the beautiful female smiling at him. ¡°Kiss me.¡±


    She leaned down and brushed his lips with hers and when she brought her tongue into y she felt his cock jump in her hand. She pulled back and gave him an impish look. Mimicking what he¡¯d done for her, she kissed her way down his body until she was facing his erection. She looked up at him and extended her tongue. She smiled at Jack¡¯s excitement. When she stroked his shaft with her tongue he sucked in a breath and stiffened.


    ¡°Does that feel good?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Incredible!¡± was all he could manage. The pleasure of her licking him while the Lussht magnified his awareness of every sensation was rocking his world.


    She ran her tongue up and down his shaft and sucked on his balls. It was Jack¡¯s turn to writhe and gasp under her ministrations. She noticed a droplet of liquid at the top and licked it off.


    ¡°Salt!¡± she eximed excitedly.


    Jack jumped and the others paused to look at her.


    She smiled up at Jack¡¯s dazed and confused expression.


    ¡°I tasted salt!¡± she gushed.


    ¡°Uh, yeah. I understand it can taste salty. Is that ok?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± she said with delight and began licking again with great enthusiasm. Jack threw his head back.


    ¡°Salt!¡± she cried again and smacked her lips. Jack grinned then his eyes widened as he saw the other females move closer to stroke his cock with their tongues. The males looked a little upset their mates were ignoring them. Jack saw the husbands were all very excited.


    ¡°Guys, it¡¯s time to make love to yourdies¡­ from behind.¡±


    Phan needed no further instructions. He brought his hips in close behind his wife and drove himself home, pulling his wife¡¯s hips back to meet his pelvis. Hahn and Mirs quickly figured it out and they were soon pressed up tight against the asses of their wives.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, rock your hips in circles,¡± Jack suggested.


    Again, Phan was first to get into the groove.


    ¡°OH! AH! OH!¡± Julli cried out with each roll of his hips. She was struggling to keep her tongue involved with licking.


    ¡°HAHN! SO GOOD!¡± Berris moaned, mming herself back into him. He grinned at Jack as the Human had been right. This reward was incredible!


    Geng was beyond being able to make coherent sounds and refused to stop licking Jack. ¡°UHHN! UUHN! UUHN!¡± she grunted again and again. Mirs was in heaven.


    The surface of Jack¡¯s cock was covered in saliva and he felt his balls tightening up.


    ¡°Oh my god! I¡¯m going to cum!¡±


    ¡°Now?¡± Tanz asked.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Jack cried out as the sensation of four tongues stroking and licking pushed him over the top. He erupted with a huge force, ropes of cum shooting upwards tond on the faces and tongues of the four females. They squealed in excitement as they tasted the liquid. None of it was allowed to go to waste as they licked themselves and each other clean. Then Geng¡¯s orgasm burst forth quickly followed by Julli¡¯s and Barris¡¯ from their husband¡¯s rocking and thrusting. The three males moaned loudly as they reached their own releases slightly after their wives.


    Another wave from the Lussht crashed over Jack¡¯s already dazed senses. He just had time for onest admiring look at the stars above before the wave tumbled him all the way under.


    >>>>


    Jack blinked as sunlight crept down his forehead to poke annoyingly into his sleepy eye. He squinted and shifted his head to avoid the light but it was no use. He was up. Once more he realized he was intensely hot. He tried to move but a weight was lying across his body. He squinted against the sunlight and saw he was buried under furry bodies. Seven of them to be exact. He saw no kilts and felt no clothes on himself so he was waking naked in an orgy pit.


    What. The. Fuck.


    He tried to put together the events of the night before and recalled the lovely meal and the fascinating conversations he had with the Shreen who were currently sleeping on him but his memories began to fragment and twist shortly after that. He noticed therge bottle of Lussht lying on its side amongst the cushions.


    Shit.


    He knew some of his memories fromst night would resurface but he still had holes from the dinner party two nights ago. He wondered what grief he¡¯d created for himself, Gee and Bal, or Queen Elissast night.


    First things first. He had to extricate himself from the orgy pit.


    He slowly slid his left arm free and used that one to get his right arm clear of Phan¡¯s grip. Now that he had both arms he pushed against the cushions and wiggled his body slowly out from under the pile of sleeping fur. He found his shirt, pants, and shoes but his boxers were likely somewhere under the pile of Shreen. He pulled his clothes on, slipped on his shoes and found his coat on the chair in the dining room.

 108

    As he walked towards the door he heard a noise behind him and turned in time to get wrapped in the arms of Tanz. Then her lips were on his and a chunk of the previous night came crashing out of the shadows in his mind. Once he got over the initial surprise he kissed her in return and she melted against him. Once the kiss ended she rubbed her face against his.


    ¡°Jack! Were you going to slip away without saying goodbye?¡± she quietly scolded him.


    A guilty look passed over his face and he nodded. ¡°Much of my memories fromst night are messed up by the Lussht. I thankfully remember kissing you but I woke this morning buried under naked Shreen with no idea why. I don¡¯t know the social protocols for orgies. I¡¯ve never been to one.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s an orgy?¡±


    ¡°Uh, it¡¯s when multiple people all have sex together,¡± he exined.


    Tanz smiled. ¡°We didn¡¯t do that. You and I had wonderful sex and you taught the others your techniques. They had sex together. Oh! The fourdies did all lick you into a delicious orgasm.¡±


    A distorted memory of tongues licking his entire body yed through his head but he was sure that one wasn¡¯t urate.


    ¡°Oh, ok. Good. Well, I had a lovely time and I hope the others did as well.¡±


    ¡°We did.¡±


    Jack and Tanz looked to see the others were joining them in the foyer. Hahn was grinning at Jack as Berris happily clung to him. They came forward and rubbed their faces on either side of Jack¡¯s. They moved back and the other couples took turns rubbing their faces against Jack¡¯s. He was a little overwhelmed by their affection and it must have shown as Tanz gave him a hug.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t slept that well in years. Not since I was a child in the sleep pit with my entire family!¡± Geng eximed.


    ¡°It¡¯s true! Jack gives off so much heat he feels like a family all on his own!¡± Julli grinned.


    He snorted as he knew two Altarians that would agree with that statement. Speaking of them, ¡°I¡¯d better head back to see if my friends have returned from Altaria. It was truly wonderful to spend time with you all. I enjoyed myself immensely.¡±


    There was a chorus ofpliments and goodbyes and with a final kiss from Tanz he headed out.


    He was able to retrace the route from the previous night back to his room. As he walked in he saw Gee and Bal sitting on the couch in their fur coats.


    ¡°Good morning!¡± he called out.


    ¡°Good morning, Doctor,¡± Gee responded. Bal just looked at him with a frown.


    He rubbed his face. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s just a misunderstanding. I never imed to have a doctorate. I need to have a shower as I¡¯m a sweaty mess. I woke up naked in a sleep pit with seven naked Shreen. Lovely people by the way.¡±


    Two sets of eyes stared at him incredulously.


    ¡°How went your meeting yesterday?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Security Minister Hellna was very pleased with your acquisition and has promised to pay you for the item when you return.¡± Gee said then gave him a frustrated look. ¡°Please hurry. We are to meet our driver in less than thirty minutes at the parking lot next to the Marketce. The King made arrangements for us to go to a different resort than the one we nned on visiting. It is a great distance away on the Ridge in his home vige.¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Jack grinned. ¡°That¡¯s perfect! I¡¯ll get to talk with the working ss! The King¡¯s people!¡±


    ¡°Hurry,¡± Bal said sternly.


    Jack frowned at her then went to get some clean traveling clothes. He took a quick shower and got dressed as Gee and Bal got the luggage in order.


    Once he came out of the bathroom Jack was given a ration bar instead of being allowed to call for breakfast. He gobbled it down, grabbed his bags and they made their way out of the pce.


    Everyone seemed to want to nod at Jack today and he smiled and nodded back to each of them as they walked through the shopping district and Marketce once more. In the parking lot was arge enclosed vehicle the size of a bus. Jack looked closer and there was no question. It was a bus. He hadn¡¯t ridden on a bus for a very long time.


    An old Shreen was standing next to it. He looked up when they walked through the door. ¡°You Jack?¡± he called out.


    Jack nodded and the senior nodded in return. He opened a door in the belly of the bus where they put their luggage and skis. This sealed up their driver opened the mail door and they climbed inside.


    ¡°Grab a seat and buckle in,¡± the driver said as he moved to his seat behind the controls.


    The deeply cushioned seats in the passenger section had four point safety restraints. Jacks eyebrows went up. As he buckled in he called out to the driver. ¡°Why the safety harness? Aren¡¯t we travelling through the tunnels?¡±


    The bus turned out into the wide tunnel and began to elerate. Soon they were moving at a rapid pace.


    ¡°Tunnels only go half way to the Ridge. The rest is surface travel. Getfortable with the harness now because taking it off when we¡¯re outside is not advisable.¡±


    Jack looked over at his Altarians but they were busy conversing with each other.


    Now was as good a time as any to start his assignment. ¡°What¡¯s the name of the vige we¡¯re going to?¡±


    ¡°Boon Falls.¡±


    ¡°Oh! There¡¯s a waterfall there?¡± Jack asked in delight.


    The driver nced back at him. ¡°You do know the surface is frozen, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Jack blushed. ¡°Yes, sorry. On Earth we name ces ¡®Falls¡¯ when there is a waterfall nearby.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± was all he got back. They rode on in silence.


    ¡°How did Boon Falls get its name?¡± he finally pushed.


    ¡°It¡¯s where the vige founder, Boon,nded when he fell from the ridgeline above. There¡¯s a marker in the center of town where they found what was left of his body. The location was good so they built there.¡±


    He looked over and saw Gee and Bal were enjoying the dismayed look on his face. Jack settled back in his chair and closed his eyes. He¡¯d pick up the conversationter.


    The steady drone of the tires on the smooth surface of the tunnel soon lulled him to sleep. He dreamt of waterfalls so tall the water from them fell as rain on thends below.


    The bus jolted and Jack came awake with a start. He nced around and saw they were no longer in the tunnel. The bus was in arge bay which looked like a bus terminal.


    The driver looked back at him. ¡°Ah! You¡¯re awake. We¡¯re getting equipped with tracks for travelling over the snow. Do you have eye protection?¡±


    Jack looked to his left as Gee was handing him something. He took it from her hand and saw it was a pouch with goggles inside. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Put them on. We¡¯ll be outside in a few minutes. I just have to load our other passengers.¡± With that he exited the bus.


    Jack saw the goggles had a detachable strap so he unhooked one side and wrapped the strap around his head as he held the goggles over his eyes. He reconnected the strap and pulled it tight. They fit well and were prettyfortable but there was no decrease in the amount of light. He looked over at Gee who nced back. ¡°The goggles do nothing!¡±


    She gave him an annoyed look. ¡°Wait,¡± she said and turned back to Bal as they put their own goggles on.


    Jack could no longer suppress his curiosity. ¡°Gee. Why don¡¯t they use gravity repulsion tech? Flying would be so much faster.¡±


    She saw he would not be put off with a re so she answered. ¡°The Shreen do not like flying. They will not board a vehicle that does not touch the ground.¡±


    Jack leaned back in his seat in surprise. He hadn¡¯t heard of that before.


    More Shreen climbed into the bus. Each paused when they caught sight of Jack and the Altarians. He gave them a friendly smile which probably wasn¡¯t as reassuring now that his horns looked like he recently gored someone.


    The first two were older males who seemed to be travelling together and gave Jack a suspicious look.


    The next passengers were a young female with an infant in a carrier. She returned Jack¡¯s smile though her eyes lingered on his horns. As she moved by Jack was able to see into the carrier and smiled widely when he saw the sleeping infant. Jack realized this was the first time he¡¯d seen one. He thought that was a little odd.


    While the oldsters moved to the back the female took the seats behind Jack. Once she locked the carrier into the seat by the window and checked on the sleeping child she moved to the aisle next to Jack.


    ¡°Excuse me Ambassador Danner?¡± she said in a quiet voice.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to thank you for what you did for my cousin, Tyg.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the King is your cousin?¡± Jack said with a smile. ¡°This is a happy coincidence!¡±


    She smiled crookedly. ¡°Not really much of a coincidence since we¡¯re going to Boon Falls. There¡¯s only three distinct families living there. The poption is mostly siblings and cousins. I¡¯m Stef and behind you is my daughter Caal.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the only child I¡¯ve seen since I arrived. Are there no children in the city?¡± he asked.


    ¡°There are some but mothers do their best to return to their family when they are going to give birth. The child needs to be raised close to family.¡± She smiled sadly. ¡°There are always a few stubborn fools who put their careers above family and try to adopt a more separate lifestyle but that always leaves the children having difficulty integrating to society. These children¡­ don¡¯tst long.¡±


    Jack was a little shocked to hear this. He looked at Stef and nced back to Caal. She caught the implication.


    ¡°No, Caal is growing up with family all around her. I just brought her in to see a specialist as she developed a chronic ear infection. He gave me some Skrahak oil for ear drops and Caal will be fine after a few applications.¡±


    ¡°I have a three year old boy at home with a simr ailment. I wonder if Skrahak oil would work for him. The doctors haven¡¯t been able to help him so far. Poor little guy.¡±


    ¡°Pick some up and show it to your doctor,¡± she suggested.


    The driver stepped back on board and looked back to the two men at the back, nodding to them with a smile. He looked to the young female.


    ¡°You and Caal ready to go?¡± he said gruffly.


    ¡°Yes, Papa.¡±


    Jack looked at the driver in surprise. ¡°Tyg¡¯s uncle?¡±


    Stef smiled and nodded as she returned to her seat and strapped in.


    The bus moved forward again but this time the ride across the paving wasn¡¯t smooth at all. The tracks made for a bumpy, and noisy, ride. They climbed up a long ramp then passed through therge doors to the surface. The bus was immediately bathed in the harsh white light of the sun reflecting off every crystalline snowke for as far as the eye could see.

 109

    Jack¡¯s goggles snapped to dark and he only had a moment of disorientation with the rapid change. With the lenses filtering the intensity he could see the vast in of white before them. There were small posts sticking up out of the snow at set intervals and they followed them, just to the right side of each as they passed.


    The sound of their tracks diminished considerably in the snow but the ride still wasn¡¯t as smooth as it had been before. They went over a sizeable bump and their driver looked behind to see if anyone fell out of their chair. Jack was surprised to see his eyes were now almostpletely ck. It must have been some kind of protective membrane over the eye like a translucent eyelid. Built-in sunsses.


    The scenery was fairly stark until he realized the darkness on the horizon ahead of them, a darkness that began from the ground and climbed higher and higher wasn¡¯t a build-up of clouds but the foothills of a breathtakingly tall mountain range. He looked left and right and realized the mountains ran in both directions for as far as the eye could see. It was difficult toprehend what he was looking at.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was possible for mountains to get that big!¡± he muttered to himself.


    The view captivated his attention for some time but after an hour the mountains seemed no closer. Bored, Jack looked over to Gee and Bal but they were sound asleep. The buses tracks were moving them quickly over the snow and the slight rocking motion wasforting.


    Jack looked along the ridgeline once more, marveling at the sheer scale of the mountain range. It was definitely worthy of setting up a tourism package for off visitors. He¡¯d meant to talk to Julli about that. An image of her trembling face between his hands invaded his mind making him jolt in his seat.


    Dammit! What did he do at that party?


    On second thought, he didn¡¯t really want to know.


    He closed his eyes and let the rocking settle his nerves.


    Jack became aware of a difference in the sound of the tracks on the snow. They were working harder. Then he noticed he was leaning back in his seat. He nced out the front window and realized he could no longer see the mountains as they were climbing into the foothills. He looked left then right and a shiver went through his body as he realized they were already quite a way up into the foothills. The ridge ran away in both directions. The slopes here would be incredible for skiing. You could ski all day and only do one run!


    It wasn¡¯t long before thend leveled off a little and lights could be seen ahead. The sun had recently disappeared behind the mountain peaks ahead of them and darkness was quickly covering thend around them.


    ¡°Boon Falls!¡± the driver called out as the bus turned a corner and lined up with an opening in the hillside. The bus bumped its way down a long ramp and pulled into a vast chamber carved out of what looked like the same white stone that Elleltris was.


    The bus backed into a spot reserved for it and shut down. The driver popped the door open and a st of cold air rushed in.


    Jack looked over at the Altarians and saw them wincing. Gee nced over at him with a grim look.


    Their driver walked back to speak with them. ¡°Not to worry, it¡¯s just the garage that feels this cold. The doors at the top of the ramp broke. I picked up the part. Inside the vige is much warmer!¡± he smiled at the Altarians then Jack. He nodded to Jack. ¡°Your guide will meet you inside the vige doors.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Jack said with a smile and the senior turned and headed out to open the cargo bay.


    Stef moved past Jack¡¯s seat the infant carrier in her arms. ¡°Enjoy your stay in Boon Falls.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡±


    The two older males from the back passed without a word and left the bus.


    Gee and Bal were next to leave and Jack brought up the rear. They collected their bags and skis and followed the locals over to the door leading further into the hillside. Gee and Bal ran around the others to get inside first. Jack felt bad for them once more. He wished he¡¯d been able to get them to just stay home but they¡¯d insisted on joining him. The longer he was on Chrystan he morefortable he felt with the people and the more he realized he could have done this on his own.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    He caught up to them inside, well away from the door, standing next to an exhaust vent for a restaurant. The heating out felt good and Jack could see the two agents soaking up the warmth. He was going to insist that when he went skiing they would remain inside.


    ¡°Ambassador Danner!¡±


    Jack turned to face the source of the young voice and saw a dark furred young male Shreen rushing up to him. He had to be half Jack¡¯s height.


    ¡°Hello. Are you my guide?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯m Jett! I¡¯ve been assigned to help you find your way to the resort and to see if there was anything else you need tonight.¡±


    Jack¡¯s stomach took that moment to grumble as he¡¯d only had a stupid ration bar to eat today. ¡°I¡¯m very hungry. Is there a restaurant we could stop at for a meal?¡±


    ¡°The resort has the best restaurant in Boon Falls. I¡¯ll take you there now,¡± Jett answered.


    Jack nodded and with one more nce at his thawing friends he set off after Jett who was leading the way. Gee and Bal left thefort of the exhaust fan to rush after them.


    The walk was fairly lengthy as the resort proved to be on the far southern edge of the vige. Along the way they saw shops then went through arge residential area and here Jack saw children. Lots of children. They were all amazed to see the tall, horned stranger walking through their neighborhood and it was only the presence of their guide that eased their nervousness. If anything, seeing Jett walk with them made them bolder. Crowds of the small Shreen followed them chattering and squealing until a few terse words from their guide sent them back to their homes.


    Finally the dwellings dwindled and they were walking through a long corridor. Jack looked around but there were no openings in the carved tunnels here to indicate anything behind the walls. The ever present nt life adorning the walls kept the air fresh but the temperatures were just a little cooler than they¡¯d been back in Elleltris.


    They heard music up ahead and Jett smiled back at Jack. ¡°We¡¯re almost there. They have a band ying tonight in the bar. Local artists. They¡¯re pretty good!¡±


    Jack smiled back at the youth.


    The corridor started to curve upwards and then they could see the entrance to the resort. The music got louder and Jack could see Jett getting excited. The tips of his ears were trembling.


    Their guide took them in the wide front doors of the resort and up to the reception desk. He spoke softly to the female behind the counter who nodded and turned her smile on her new guests.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to leave you here in the capable hands of Mara, the owner of the resort. I hope you enjoy your stay in Boon Falls!¡± Jett said and with a quick nod to the Altarians he made a bee line for the entrance to the bar to listen to the band.


    ¡°Ambassador Danner, Altarian friends, wee to South View! As Jett said, I¡¯m Mara, the owner. I¡¯m the one you should ask for if you have any questions or concerns. I live at the resort as well so you can find me here at all hours.¡±


    ¡°Thank you! I understand you have a restaurant, best in the vige Jett said?¡±


    She smiled, ¡°A little hungry after your long journey?¡± At Jack¡¯s emphatic nod she chuckled. ¡°The mayor asked me to let him know when you arrived so that he might join you for dinner this evening. Would that be alright?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    ¡°Excellent! He and his wife are just inside listening to the band so I¡¯ll get you settled into your rooms-¡±


    ¡°Room,¡± Gee interrupted gently.


    ¡°Room?¡± Mara blinked. Jack looked at Gee in surprise as well.


    ¡°We will sleep with the Ambassador. He is very warm.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Certainly,¡± Mara said smiling at the two Altarians and ncing happily at Jack as she made an adjustment on herputer. His face flushed.


    ¡°You have our best room. The view south over the valley and the ridgeline is the best in the vige,¡± Mara said with a grin. ¡°Our hot spring is down at the far end of this corridor,¡± she said pointing to the left. ¡°The bar is through those doors and is open from 4PM until 3AM. The restaurant is down at the end of the hall there and opens at 5AM for breakfast and closes at midnight. I¡¯ve reserved a table for you during your stay which I believe is for three days?¡±


    Jack nodded with a smile.


    ¡°If you could touch the pad here I¡¯ll key the door to your biometrics,¡± Mara said gesturing to the edge of the counter. Jack touched the reader as did the agents and Mara nodded with a smile. ¡°Ok, you¡¯re all set. I¡¯ll let the Mayor and his wife know you¡¯re on your way. They¡¯ll meet you at your table when you¡¯re ready.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back then,¡± Jack said with a grin.


    Mara smiled back and gestured for a young female to guide them up to their room. They took an elevator at the back of the lobby and went up two floors. The female led them down the hall and Jack opened the door. He saw it was roughly simr to the floorn of the royal apartment. A popr design! The foyer had arge bathroom to the right and lead to a round living room with a sunken pit of cushions with a windowed wall on the opposite side. To the right was a door leading to the bedroom. Lovely furnishing and art on the walls. It was too dark outside to appreciate the view.

 110

    ¡°If you have any questions or need anything please feel free to ask. I¡¯m B.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, B! I think we are good for now!¡± Jack said as the Altarians moved off to the bedroom to stow their bags.


    With a slight bow the young female turned and left, closing the door behind her.


    Jack followed Gee and Bal into the bedroom. He saw there was arge bed with multiple nkets but the room was cool, again a little cooler than they had the rooms in Elleltris.


    ¡°I am sorry for our intruding on your sleeping arrangements but Boon Falls is proving to be far colder than the capital. We would freeze at night,¡± Gee exined.


    ¡°No. I get it. It¡¯s fine. It was a little embarrassing to hear you telling Mara about my being warm,¡± he said.


    Gee looked at Jack like he was her slow student. ¡°The Shreen aremunal sleepers. They sleep in the pit you see out in the living room. This bed and bedroom are strictly for non-Shreen visitors. Being the ¡®warm one¡¯ is apliment.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Well¡­ thank you!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let it go to your head,¡± Bal said as she put her suitcase in the corner.


    Jack frowned at Bal. ¡°Shall we go eat? I¡¯m starving! I need to stoke the fires that keep you two warm at night.¡±


    ¡°By all means then,¡± Gee said gesturing to the door.


    They found the restaurant and the hostess guided them to a table where an older Shreen couple were seated. Jack could see Tyg¡¯s coloration in the male though his dark fur was peppered with grey and the female had pale grey long fur and snow white short fur with pale grey rosettes and stripes. The male stood and met Jack halfway around the table. He leaned his head forward and Jack touched his forehead to his. The female had moved to stand at her husband¡¯s side when Jack pulled back so he turned and touched her forehead with his as well. She was the first Shreen he had to bend down to as most were as tall as he was if not a little taller. Her eyes were twinkling with happiness as she smiled up at Jack.


    ¡°Wee to Boon Falls! I¡¯m the mayor, Ghen and this is my wife Asha. On a personal note I¡¯d like to thank you for speaking to my son Tyg and his wife the other night. It¡¯s a major relief to his mother and I that the two of them havee to their senses. The good fortune of you visiting when you did and also being a Love Doctor-¡±


    Gee snorted and wiped at her nose to cover the rude sound.


    Jack looked at the mayor in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m not a Love Doctor. I¡¯m not an Anything Doctor! I said the words while protesting this fact to some store clerks. I¡¯m not really sure why that phrase became so popr or so wide spread. All I did that night was talk to them. Something in what I said touched the real love they felt for each other and they made it work themselves. They are more responsible for their new happiness than I am.¡±


    The couple looked at him with happy smiles and he realized his denial was falling on deaf ears.


    They were standing at a table in the middle of the dining area with maybe twenty other tables around them, most filled with locals having their evening meal. Most of these were watching them casually like they were the night¡¯s entertainment.


    At the far side of the restaurant was arge firece where mes danced over ornamental ss. Even from the center of the seating area Jack could feel the faint touch of the heat waves being radiated from the firece. None of the Shreen were seated anywhere near it as to them it would have been unpleasantly warm. Gee and Bal looked at Jack with just the slightest desperation in their eyes. He understood.


    ¡°Mayor Ghen, if you don¡¯t mind I¡¯d like to release Agent¡¯s Gee and Bal,¡± he gestured to them as he named them, ¡°to sit closer to the firece. They¡¯ll have a better view of the room from there and keep warm at the same time.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Well, certainly by all means,¡± Ghen said as he nodded.


    Jack smiled at him and nodded to the agents who immediately made their way to the far edge of the seating area where they found an unupied table for two¡­ and moved it much closer to the firece. They moved the chairs then quickly took off their fur overcoats and let the heat of the mes soak into their chilled bodies.


    The mayor nced at Jack and they shared a smile. ¡°Altarians don¡¯t care much for the cold, do they?¡± he said with a crooked smile.


    Jack sighed. ¡°No, they don¡¯t. They insisted oning but I¡¯m regretting that for their sakes. They feel the cold much more than I do.¡±


    Ghen gestured for them to sit but before they could the waitress came by and removed the extra ce settings and chairs. She rearranged the remaining settings to give them all equal space. Jack smiled at her quick and efficient motions. Soon the three were sitting withfortable space around them. The waitress returned with menus.


    ¡°I¡¯m really hungry. What do you rmend?¡± Jack asked her and realized it was B.


    She smiled and nced meaningfully at the mayor who leaned forward.


    ¡°It hase to my attention that you may enjoy¡­ eating meat?¡± he said quietly.


    Jack¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°I have been known to. Where did you¡­¡±


    Ghen grinned at him. ¡°We may be on the Ridge but we aren¡¯tpletely cut off from the world. We have ways of learning things even out here in the wilds!¡±


    Asha rolled her eyes and shook her head at her husband. ¡°Tyg called. He and the Queen had a long conversation with her Facilitator. It came up that you¡¯re an omnivore.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Well, yes, I did say that at Tanz¡¯s party.¡± Jack acknowledged but he still didn¡¯t know where this was going.


    ¡°We¡¯ve had a rash of encounters with somerger Skrahak in the nearby hills. When they get big we have to cull them or they get too bold and begin attacking the viges for food. They¡¯re carnivores. Our people have been out in the neighboring hillside hunting them down and we¡¯re close to finding the bull which is thergest one. Once we get it the smaller ones will scatter.¡±


    He looked a little ufortable but pushed on. ¡°A few years back we had a group of Wuu visit the vige to¡­ hunt the Skrahak.¡±


    Jack looked at the mayor incredulously. ¡°Wuu? The little balls of fur and bad tempers? They hunt?¡±


    Ghen smirked and nodded. ¡°Surprised me too but damn if they aren¡¯t fearsome in a group. They took down a four metre Skrahak and they only had spears. Tiny little spears. Gave me nightmares for a week.¡± He shuddered.


    ¡°Anyway, they took this big one down and proceeded to ughter it for its meat. They asked the cook here to prepare it and they ate arge portion of the beast that night. Make no mistake, Wuu are pure carnivores.¡±


    ¡°Huh!¡± Jack eximed in surprise.


    ¡°We analysed the flesh and it¡¯s perfectly safe for consumption once cooked. As we have culled a number of them recently we have some meat on hand and the chef would be happy to prepare it for you. He said they called it a steak.¡±


    Jack¡¯s mouth watered as he was so hungry. ¡°Would you be ok with me eating it in front of you? If you would I can eat something else.¡±


    ¡°No! Please feel free to enjoy it. The Wuu certainly did,¡± Ghen remarked.


    ¡°That would be wonderful then! I¡¯d love to try a Skrahak steak!¡± Jack said smiling at B.


    She leaned closer. ¡°The chef asked me to ask you how you would like it cooked,¡± she asked.


    ¡°What color is the meat uncooked?¡± Jack asked.


    B¡¯s nose wrinkled. ¡°Red.¡±


    ¡°Ok, then cook it until it is just slightly pink in the center,¡± he answered. B nodded and looked to the mayor and his wife.


    ¡°Our usual,¡± Asha said and Ghen smiled at his wife.


    B nodded and went to take the Altarian¡¯s orders but she didn¡¯t get too close to the table.


    Jack returned his attention to the couple across the table. ¡°I must confess, up until a few days ago I¡¯d never heard of Chrystan or the Shreen and I feel terrible about that. I¡¯m supposed to be Queen Elissa¡¯s Ambassador!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel too bad. The Shreen aren¡¯t exactly eager to make a nuisance of ourselves off the. In fact I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard of a Shreen who left Chrystan. We like it here and if we need anything we can¡¯t get here, well, that¡¯s why we have a Gate in Elleltris and friends on the other side to bring those things to us, right?¡± the mayor said with a shrug.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Nothing wrong with being, self-sufficient,¡± Jack agreed and got a smile from the couple.


    ¡°We also heard you know more than a little about being self-sufficient but you¡¯ve taken it to extremes!¡± Asha said in amazement.


    Jack looked at her then recalled telling his story about being a Park Ranger. He smiled and nodded. ¡°I did what I had to do to get and keep a job. It was a hard time in my life.¡±


    Ghen nced over at a neighboring table and frowned at the upant who was gesturing to him. Jack caught the exchange and nced questioningly at the mayor who looked a little embarrassed.


    ¡°We use the restaurant frequently for town hall meetings and the tables have been equipped with audio systems to allow everyone to properly hear the head table which is this one. Would you mind if I were to turn on the table¡¯s broadcast unit? Everyone here is a friend and they¡¯d love to hear your stories as well.¡±


    Jack looked around the room and saw smiles on the faces of the other Shreen. ¡°Oh! Uh, I suppose that would be fine.¡±


    ¡°The audio is also broadcast for those at home who can¡¯t attend the meetings,¡± Asha disclosed.


    Jackughed and they looked at him in surprise. ¡°Sorry, it feels like the amateur radio station I worked at when I was a teenager.¡±


    The mayor¡¯s eyes lit up and he gestured to the controls Jack just now recognized on the table. He¡¯d thought they were for summoning the waiter. He smiled and nodded. The mayor pressed and held a spot on the table surface and a light appeared under his finger pad.


    ¡°Hello, this is Mayor Ghen at South View with my lovely wife Asha and our special guest Ambassador Jack Danner from Altaria- and originally Earth I suppose,¡± Ghen said with the smooth practiced voice of a politician and part time radio host.


    Jack suddenly realized that during his visit to Chrystan there was a distinctck of televisions. He wondered if the Shreen just preferred the intimacy of radio. He saw he was being prompted by Ghen.


    ¡°Yes, I was born and raised on Earth and only recently found myself living on a different. Altaria has been an excellent ce to live and now raise a family.¡± Jack nced at his ¡®audience¡¯ and they were all smiling while they ate their dinners. Some were watching but most didn¡¯t seem to need the visualponent. He was fascinated by this but the mayor had moved on.

 111

    They turned their attention to Asha. ¡°During the dinner you had with the Queen¡¯s Facilitator Tanz you talked about your job as a Park Ranger, a custodian of nature?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a nice way to put it,¡± Jack said with a smile.


    ¡°You exined that during the winters you were alone? For months?¡± she said with a gasp.


    ¡°Yes, the winters in the region I worked were bad and we¡¯d have to work the four to five months alone,¡± Jack said, his voice holding an echo of that loneliness. He forced his shoulders back and smiled at the stunned faces of the couple. ¡°My next job made up for that though because I was working as a pot scrubber in a chaotically busy restaurant in San Francisco¡¯s Chinatown. So many people rushing back and forth and not so much talking as yelling constantly. I hardly talked at all but I absorbed the constant buzz ofnguage and human motion. Isted there for six months until one of the managers dropped by and realized I was the odd man so out I went.¡±


    ¡°They fired you because you were odd?¡± Ghen said in surprise.


    ¡°No, they kicked me out because I didn¡¯t officially work there. Directly after being fired by the Ranger service so publicly no one would hire me. I was wandering around the alleys looking for something to eat. The cook of this restaurant took pity on me after he heard my story. He took me in and fed me. In return I washed the pots as the pot scrubber hadn¡¯t shown up for work. When it got really busy and I proved I could keep up the cook let me stay. Luckily the original pot scrubber never returned. I slept in the back room and ate the discarded food the customers left on their tes. In that six months I worked really hard but more importantly, I disappeared from the public consciousness. When I was back out on the street looking for my next job Jack Danner wasn¡¯t a name that instantly reminded people of the public humiliation. I got a job as a Sanitation Engineer though I had to do a lot of fancy talking to bluff my way into that job.¡± When he saw the nk looks from the couple. ¡°With arge vehicle I collected garbage from therge containers behind the businesses and drove it to a ce we dumped it.¡±


    Ghen smiled. ¡°You sound like Tyg. Except he moved from job to job looking for something that fulfilled him.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it wasn¡¯t a search for a meaningful upation that caused his wanderlust. Maybe he was just looking for someone who fulfilled him,¡± Jack suggested.


    ¡°More wisdom from the Love Doctor?¡± Asha said with a grin.


    Jack moaned. ¡°No, please let me address that. I¡¯m sorry I ever put those two words together in a sentence. I wasn¡¯t iming to be one. I am not now nor have I ever been, a doctor. I just offered a few words of encouragement, I don¡¯t even remember what they were. The Queen and King were the ones who found each other again. I am so d they did.¡±


    B was returning with a tray with their meals on it.


    ¡°Ah, it looks like our food is arriving. We can pick this upter?¡± Ghen asked and Jack nodded.


    Ghen turned off the broadcast and the tes were distributed.


    Jack was stunned by the size of the steak on his te. It was bigger than both his hands side by side, fingers spread wide. He looked at B. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can eat this much steak!¡±


    She smiled at him. ¡°Eat as much or as little as you wish. No one else is going to eat it.¡±


    Jack thought about that. He was the only meat eater on the¡­ other than the Skrahak apparently. He gave her a nod and picked up his utensils. The knife he had wasn¡¯t going to cut the meat. ¡°Uh, B? Do you have a knife with a serrated edge to cut the meat?¡±


    ¡°Oh! I will get you one,¡± she said and rushed away.


    While he waited he tried the vegetables. They were delicious! So fresh! ¡°These are amazing! Are they grown nearby?¡±


    ¡°All of the food is grown in the farms beneath our feet. If you¡¯d like I can give you a tour tomorrow,¡± Ghen said.


    ¡°I would love to see the farms!¡± Jack said with a big smile.


    B returned with a wicked looking knife. ¡°It¡¯s a root cutter,¡± she exined.


    He gave it a try and it did a reasonable job on the steak. He looked at the piece he¡¯d cut free. It was hot with a slightly pink center. The real test. He raised the fork to his mouth and stopped halfway when he realized B was watching him with wide eyes. As was Ghen and Asha. Then he looked at the mesmerized faces at the tables around him. He nced over at Gee and Bal and saw their disapproving scowls.


    Meh.


    He popped the morsel into his mouth and saw everyone jolt in unison. He ignored them and chewed slowly to capture the taste and textures. There was a slight sticity to the meat like seafood but the taste was tangy bordering on spicy. He nodded happily and smiled to B first then shared the expression with the others watching. He swallowed and everyone jolted again.


    ¡°That was more difficult to watch than I expected!¡± Ghen remarked slowly.


    Jack immediately felt bad. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If this offends you I¡¯ll just stick with the vegetables which are excellent!¡±


    ¡°No! Please! I can tell you are enjoying it and I shouldn¡¯t have been watching you eat so closely anyway. Please enjoy.¡± Ghen eximed.


    Jack received nods from Asha and B, thetter looking a little flustered as she headed back to the kitchen.


    He turned back to his meal as did the others. It had been quite some time since he¡¯d enjoyed a steak. The closest he got to meat on Altaria was fish which SennLann craved and raided from his te if he ate too slowly. Now he had Zaina and Adina eyeing his te those nights as well. He was going to have to stock up on more fish.


    It wasn¡¯t long before he reached his max and took one bite too many. He dropped his napkin over the te to keep himself from eating more and pushed back a little from the table. Rubbing his full tummy he smiled at the mayor and his wife.


    ¡°It was enough?¡± she asked.


    ¡°A little bit more than enough. I¡¯m stuffed! It was really good! Thank you!¡± Jack said with a sigh. This got grins from the couple.


    ¡°Good! Would you mind if we continued?¡± Ghen said pointing to the broadcast controls on the table.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Jack smiled and shook his head indicating he didn¡¯t. The mayor pressed the button again.


    ¡°Hello, this is Mayor Ghen at South View with my lovely wife Asha for part two of our interview with our special guest Ambassador Jack Danner from Altaria and Earth. Humans are omnivores and we¡¯ve just witnessed him enjoying a Skrahak steak. Not something we see every day on Chrystan. He also indicated that he very much enjoyed the vegetables grown here in Boon Falls. With your varied upational history do you have any experience with farming yourself, Ambassador?¡±


    ¡°Please, call me Jack. The only farming I¡¯ve done personally was in our family garden. In the neighborhoods I grew up in, my parents, all the parents in fact, had gardens in the small plots ofnd behind our homes. We needed to grow as much food as we could because we couldn¡¯t afford to eat otherwise. Money was really limited even with everyone working at whatever jobs we could get. Farming on Earth by that point had beenmercialized so there were extremely few independent farms left. The mega farms sold to the grocers but the entire mechanical process of harvesting and shipping meant the produce in the stores wasn¡¯t as fresh. Certainly not as fresh as the stuff we grew at home and not as good as I ate tonight!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a tour of our farms tomorrow. I think you will be impressed,¡± Ghen said with a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m already impressed with the produce itself!¡± Jack grinned.


    Asha leaned forward. ¡°Not to change the subject but changing the subject,¡± she grinned, ¡°I¡¯m told you arrived with¡­ skis? What are they and what do you do with them?¡±


    ¡°They are long slippery boards which connect to special shoes that allow us to glide along the surface of snow quickly and gracefully without sinking into it. We used them for recreation and fitness. I did some skiing a long time ago on Earth and I enjoyed it very much. I have to say this world is perfect for the sport. If you had a lift system for bringing skiers back up to the top of the slopes you could seriously have a very lucrative tourism based industry. The view and scenery is breathtaking. The food is amazing, and the amodations are lovely. You¡¯d probably have to expand if it bes as popr as I think it might be. It was something I was going to speak with Minister Julli about at Tanz¡¯s party but¡­ other things¡­ happened,¡± he finished awkwardly.


    Asha giggled and Ghen grinned at him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we aren¡¯t going to put you on the spot and ask you questions about what tips you passed along to the attendees of that party,¡± Asha said with a grin.


    Jack sighed in relief.


    ¡°They¡¯ve already done their own interviews and sang your praises,¡± she continued.


    Jack eyed her incredulously.


    ¡°One thing I would like to ask you about. My curiosity is driving me crazy. Are the gold caps on the tips of your horns ornamental or do they serve some purpose? They are lovely!¡± Ghen asked.


    ¡°Oh, thanks. They¡¯re to protect others from the sharp points. The horn tips are deadly sharp. Self-sharpening I¡¯ve been told. The caps keep these points hidden and my kids at home safe. I have two daughters who¡¯ve made a game out of waking me up every morning. I don¡¯t have to worry about them cutting themselves identally on my horns.¡±

 112

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    Ghen and Asha were grinning widely at Jack as his love for his daughters came through quite clearly.


    They moved back to talking about some of the jobs he¡¯d had and the conversation went on for some time until Jack yawned widely behind his hand.


    Asha nced at her husband who wrapped up the broadcast and thanked Jack for his time before shutting down the radio program.


    Jack was surprised to realize everyone from the dinner hour was still in the restaurant. He smiled and nodded to them as they began to file out.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to speak to Minister Julli about your idea. Do you think skis could be adapted to Shreen feet?¡± Ghen asked.


    Jack nced over to look at the feet of some of the departing guests and pictured how wide the skis would have to be to fit those big¡­ he grinned widely.


    ¡°You have a strange smile on your face, Jack.¡± Asha said, smiling curiously.


    ¡°Not skis! Snowboards! Oh my god! The Shreen would be natural snowboarders!¡± he eximed.


    He pulled his out and flipped through the vids he¡¯d captured to show Queen Elissa. He scanned ahead in the one to get to the snowboarding scene. Then he turned the screen to the mayor and his wife. ¡°This is snowboarding. Much wider surface but simr principle. You ride these down the slope but you still need a means to get back to the top of the slope once you get to the bottom.¡±


    They watched in fascination as the boarders swooshed back and forth, cutting through the powder snow.


    ¡°This looks like something the Shreen would like to do! Very much! Thank you for bringing it to my attention. Are there more movies like these?¡± Ghen asked.


    ¡°Yes, on the Earthwork. Can you connect to that?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Minister Julli will be able to. Snowboarding. I think we may have something here!¡± Ghen said excitedly.


    Jack looked at his and pulled up the receipt for his ski equipment. ¡°Do you have a?¡± he asked the mayor. The male took his from a pocket in his kilt. ¡°I have apany you can contact to purchase a few boards from as a test case. Really nice people and they had some really beautiful boards in the shop when I was there.¡± Jack transferred the details of the shop to the mayor¡¯s and the Shreen¡¯s eyebrows went up.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could do that with a!¡± Ghen eximed and his wife rolled her eyes.


    Jack grinned and dropped the vid onto the mayor¡¯s as well. ¡°You can send Julli this vid and the store¡¯s details to let her know you want her to look into it for you.¡±


    ¡°How do I do that?¡± Ghen asked looking closer.


    ¡°Really Ghen! You need to get lessons on how to use your!¡± Asha said in exasperation as she took the from Jack¡¯s hand and created the message with the attachments. Then she pointed to the send button and Ghen sent it off with a grin. The mayor rubbed his face against his wife¡¯s and she gasped at his boldness in front of their guest.


    ¡°I¡¯m beat so I¡¯m going back to my room. Will I see you for breakfast tomorrow or afterwards?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°If you wouldn¡¯t mind thepany we¡¯d love to join you!¡± Ghen said as Asha nodded with a smile.


    ¡°8AM?¡± Jack suggested.


    ¡°Perfect!¡± Ghen said and they touched foreheads before they headed out.


    Jack walked over to Gee and Bal and they looked lethargic from the heat. ¡°Come on you two, time for bed.¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    The agents got to their hooves and wobbled. Both sank back to their seats as Jack frowned at them.


    ¡°You overheated didn¡¯t you.¡± Jack scowled and the agents had the good grace to look ashamed.


    ¡°Put your coats on. I¡¯ll carry you,¡± Jack said and they looked up at him in surprise. They began to protest and stood but they weren¡¯t steady on their hooves. He helped them put their coats on then surprised them by bending down to wrap an arm around each just below their butts and lifting them against his chest.


    ¡°Hold on around my shoulders,¡± Jack grunted and began to head back to the room. He got them in the elevator, up to their floor and down the hall to their room before setting them back on their hooves once more. He opened the door and helped them stagger inside. He took them immediately to the bed. As they undressed he got them both arge ss of water. He made them drink all of the water then he tucked them into the bed.


    Then he took care of himself, getting ready for bed. He crawled under the nkets and felt them rest against his shoulders as he let himself drift off.


    Jack sat at his reserved table waiting for Ghen and Asha. He¡¯d left Gee and Bal back in the room resting. They¡¯d woken with bad headaches and he¡¯d made them drink more water. While they protested he assured them he would only visit the farms thene directly back to check on them. Pouting, they agreed he could be without their protection for the morning. He¡¯d smiled and given them both a kiss on the forehead. Jack thought it was a testament to how poorly Bal felt that she¡¯d held still for the kiss. He tucked them back in bed and left them his Skrahak overcoat as an extra nket so he¡¯d be sure they¡¯d be warm enough. He was wearing the thermal guard wicking bodysuit and the Nordic racing outerwear so he was plenty warm.


    Sure, he looked like a rainbow threw up on him but he was warm.


    ¡°Good morning!¡± Ghen called out as he and Asha walked up to the table.


    Jack got up and touched his forehead to theirs and gestured for them to sit. A new waitress was immediately at their side and they ordered their breakfast. Jack was able to order a small steak with his meal.


    ¡°Where are yourpanions?¡± Asha asked curiously.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t feeling too well this morning so I told them to sleep in,¡± Jack said.


    Ghen didn¡¯t turn on the broadcast system and they just spoke about the morning¡¯s tour. Then he made an odd sound.


    ¡°I just remembered! I got a reply from Julli this morning. She was very excited about the idea of bringing snowboarding to the ridge viges and will be starting a program with Boon Falls as a test case. She sent a request to our broker on Altaria to order some boards from the shop you gave us the name for. I hope you don¡¯t mind she quoted your name on the order,¡± Ghen said with an excited expression.


    Jack was really happy for Ghen but he was also concerned about how fast this wasing together. ¡°That¡¯s great! Are you going to set up some designated areas for the snowboarding? The boards move really fast so there¡¯s always a risk for injury or worse.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been researching how to build a snowboarding park from the material Julli got from the Earth Net. Fascinating! You were right, this sport was designed for Chrystan and the Shreen!¡± Ghen gushed.


    Jack grinned at him as the food arrived. They didn¡¯t talk much as they ate the meal but they were veryfortable in each other¡¯spany.


    As they were wrapping up Asha grinned at Jack. ¡°Your clothing is most colorful this morning.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a Nordic skiing racing suit. Normally I wouldn¡¯t dress so mboyantly but it was the only suit in the store that stretched enough to fit my neck and shoulders. It¡¯s very warm!¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t going to lose you in the snow or a crowd of Shreen for that matter,¡± Ghen teased.


    They were done so they thanked the waitress and made their way back to the vige. Jack attracted a lot of attention as a walking billboard for brands the inhabitants of Chrystan had never heard of.


    They entered a wide corridor which led deep into the mountain. They boarded a small wheeled cart and Ghen drove them further into the tunnels. He took them down a few ramps and Jack felt a gradual increase in temperature and humidity. The scent of growing things filled his nostrils and he breathed deep with a smile. Ghen pulled off a ramp onto the next floor down and Jack gasped in awe. The excavated chamber seemed endless with row after row of vertical hanging gardens. The colors were spectacr.


    ¡°You may not lose me in the snow but I could definitely blend in down here!¡± Jackughed and they joined in.


    They parked the cart and walked among the rows talking to the workers who were maintaining the crops. Jack had to touch foreheads with quite a few of them and learned they were listening to the broadcast the night before. Most were amazed by how different he was from how he looked in their imaginations. They sampled a few fresh vegetables and made their way back to the cart.


    They spent most of the morning repeating this and Jack was stunned by the variety of crops they had down here fed by the hot springs and grow lights powered by the vige¡¯s steam driven generators. Jack discovered they shipped the produce to Elleltris and other cities with unmanned trains using gravity repulsion tech. None of the Shreen would ride in the flying vehicles but they had no problem with their products travelling in style and fast. The shipments only took an hour to reach market instead of taking all day like his trip had.


    Once the tour was over they drove back up to the entrance of the vige. Jack¡¯s head was spinning and his hosts were grinning from ear to ear, pleased with his reaction.


    ¡°Did you have any ns for the afternoon?¡± Ghen asked.


    ¡°I was hoping to do some skiing in the surrounding countryside,¡± he said.


    The mayor winced. ¡°That might not be such a good idea until we¡¯ve caught the bull Skrahak. I assure you I¡¯ve had reports that they are very close to tracking it down. Maybe I can offer an alternative. Why don¡¯t youe up on the surface to see the original Boon Falls?¡±


    ¡°That sounds good! I need to check in on my two patients in the room.¡± He lifted the small basket of fresh vegetables he¡¯d collected for them. ¡°They¡¯ll need some lunch too. Why don¡¯t I give you a call after lunch and if they are up to it I¡¯ll bring them along?¡±


    ¡°That would be great! See you then!¡± Ghen said and they did the forehead ritual once more before Jack trotted back down the corridor to the hotel. He nodded to Mara and took the elevator up to his floor. Grinning to himself he thought about mentioning elevator music to Mara to see if that would catch on like snowboarding promised to.


    Entering the room he made his way over to the bedroom and saw the sheets move. Gee and Bal uncovered their heads and stared at his outfit.


    ¡°Tell me you didn¡¯t go out in public dressed like that!¡± Gee griped.


    ¡°Ah, good to hear you¡¯re back to your old self,¡± Jack smiled.


    ¡°I smell food,¡± Bal added.


    ¡°The gardens! Oh my god, they are magnificent and endless! I brought you lunch straight from the vine.¡± Jack gushed.


    When Gee looked at him with a raised eyebrow he sighed. ¡°Yes I washed the food and the basket is brand new.¡±

 113

    The two agents each picked something from the basket and took a bite. Their faces lit up with smiles and they ate voraciously. Jack snorted at the almost savage way they consumed the meal. Byparison his consuming the steak had been an act of absolute civility.


    ¡°The mayor and Asha have invited us to do a tour of the original Boon Falls which is apparently on the surface. It will be cold so if you aren¡¯t up to it I understand. He vetoed my suggestion about skiing as they have to catch and kill a bull Skrahak as it¡¯s dangerous to be around.¡±


    ¡°We wille with you to see this original vige,¡± Gee said.


    ¡°As you are not skiing please change into clothing less violent to our eyes,¡± Bal requested.


    Jack pouted and went to get changed after snagging one of the cucumber like items from the basket and dodging Bal¡¯s p at his hand.


    When everyone was ready and Jack was back in his fur coat he called the mayor and arranged to meet where Jackst saw them.


    They made their way back to the vige and once they greeted Ghen and Asha once more they took an elevator up a few levels and stepped out into arge transparent dome. There was a set of doors ahead, like an airlock which Jack assumed kept the cold air out of the dome. He looked at Gee and Bal but they were wearing everyyer of thermal protection they had under the fur coats. They seemedfortable.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t too cold out there but we are in the shadow of the ridge above so the warmth of the sun isn¡¯t touching the ground here,¡± Asha warned.


    They made their way outside and Jack moved his goggles down over his eyes. While they weren¡¯t in direct sunlight the snow just a little ways down the hill was bouncing the brightness in their direction.


    They walked uphill and saw the original excavations dug into the surrounding cliff face. These had been turned into boutiques and Jack was delighted to do a little browsing in the shops. The Altarians also appreciated being inside. Ghen and Asha spoke to each of the shopkeepers as they made their way from shop to shop. Jack was carrying several bags by the time they left the eighth shop.


    Jett came running from further ahead panting with excitement. ¡°Mayor! They got it!¡± he yelled.


    Ghen stopped to look at Jett. ¡°They got the bull?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Come see! It¡¯s a big one!¡± the youth gushed and headed back down thene. It ran between two vertical cliff faces which gradually drew closer. Shops had been cut into the walls on both sides. Jack couldn¡¯t help butpare this to one of those viges catering to the upscale skiingmunity.


    Ahead there was arge archway and a tunnel which they followed out into a field where many Shreen were gathered around arge tbed cart. Covering the cart was a creature with the same kind of fur Jack and the Altarians were wearing.


    The thing looked like arge furred slug to Jack. Except for its face¡­ or the collection of boney tes where the face would be.


    ¡°It is a big one! Definitely a bull. Looks like we shouldn¡¯t be having trouble with the Skrahak for a while.¡± Ghen said with a grin. He wandered off to congratte the five Ridgers who brought down the beast.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Jack turned to Asha. ¡°Does this mean it¡¯s safe to do some skiing tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°It should be. Once the bull is dead the rest scatter uphill back into the mountains,¡± she exined.


    ¡°Uphill? This beast came from higher up?¡± Jack said in surprise.


    ¡°Yes, there are some big things up there. We stay out of the peaks. If theye down we kill them.¡± Asha said with venom in her voice.


    Jack blinked at her. ¡°You sound like you really don¡¯t like these creatures.¡±


    She looked at Jack and sighed. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. Arger one than this took my grandfather and his best friend. It went back up into the mountains so we never killed it. I take a littlefort each time we kill one. Seeing you eat the flesh of one was particrly satisfying,¡± she said with a grim smile.


    He just nodded to her. He knew how the need for vengeance felt. He wouldn¡¯t judge her for this.


    They made their way back and stopped at a few more shops before calling it a day. They walked back to the dome and stopped to make ns for dinner.


    ¡°Are we going to do another dinner broadcast?¡± Jack asked.


    Ghen¡¯s expression gave away his hopes and Jack just smiled and nodded. Asha was pretty happy as well.


    ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯d like to go skiing. That should be ok now, right?¡± Jack asked.


    Ghen checked his. ¡°The danger of the Skrahak is over but I suggest you head out no earlier than 11AM as it will be warmer and the small stragglers will be long gone by then.¡±


    ¡°That sounds good. As it will be my first time on the skis in a long time I don¡¯t n on being out too long,¡± Jack exined. Ghen nodded.


    They made their way into the elevator and went back down to the new vige¡¯s main level.


    Before they parted Ghen caught Jack¡¯s eye again. ¡°See you at dinner?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Jack grinned and they went their separate ways.


    As they made their way back to the resort Jack was so excited! He was going skiing! When he started to repetitively chant ¡®We¡¯re go-ing ski-ing!¡¯ he saw Gee and Bal weren¡¯t quite as enthused.


    Well, they could stay home. He was going! It was his vacation after all!


    >>>>>>


    The powdery snow sparkled like scattered diamonds under the noon sun as Jack¡¯s skis cut through the frozen crystals. He found himself grinning stupidly as his breath puffed out in gusts of steam. This was much better than he remembered.


    Of course the technology in use nowpared to thest time he¡¯d gone skiing improved the performance of the skis by light years. The bindings were small tes that used tractor beam technology to maintain an aligned connection with the linkage in the toe of his shoes. This allowed his shoes to rock up and down as his heels lifted and dropped with the stride and glide motions. The skis didn¡¯t rely on special waxes or rough scallops in the underside to give them the traction and frictionless qualities needed to kick off and glide. Instead, the binding read the pressure and position of each boot and took signals from the grips on the poles to alter the underside qualities of each ski. This also gave the skier the ability to brake if needed.


    Jack, Gee and Bal had spent roughly an hour learning how to operate the controls of the skis until they feltfortable enough to venture outside of the vige into the hillsides nearby. Now they were moving quickly through pristine hills and meadows. The ¡®evergreens¡¯ they saw dotting the hillsides and providing windbreaks on their way looked like no tree Jack had ever seen but they served the same function apparently.


    They¡¯d been given a quick overview of the surroundingnd and told which areas to avoid. There were a few ces where hidden cliffs could end their ytime with a grisly conclusion. Keeping to the meadows was safe. They¡¯d seen groups of teens out cing and maintaining the red hazard gs at the entrances to these danger zones. A service each vige undertook to keep their people safe.


    Jack stopped atop a small rise, set his brakes, and looked back. Gee and Bal were a distance back but they caught up quickly. Both enjoyed the skiing very much but they scowled at him for getting so far ahead. He ignored that.


    ¡°This is incredible!¡± Jack gushed.


    Neither of them could deny the smiles that came to their faces for his enthusiasm.


    ¡°Yes, this is a most enjoyable activity,¡± Gee admitted. Bal nodded at her partner.


    ¡°Maybe we stay out another thirty minutes then begin to head back?¡± Jack asked and received nods.


    A terrifyingly deep roar cut across the hillside from behind them. This was quickly followed by the high pitched screams of teenage Shreen. They turned their skis immediately and headed back along their tracks as quickly as they could. Jack was behind the agents so he was forced to keep their pace.


    They came upon one of the red gged pocket valleys where the slope dipped down between two cliff walls and ended with a precipice. More screams and crying came from down the slope.


    Bal looked back at Jack. ¡°Stay here!¡± Then she and Gee went over the lip and swooped down into the shadowed ce.


    Jack stayed put for a record five seconds before he said fuck it and swooped over the edge. He got maybe five metres in before stopping atop the slope running down to a sharp drop off. Down near the bottom Jack could see two young Shreen backed up against the wall of the pocket valley, clinging to each other in mortal fear.


    What was driving their fear was mostly hidden in the snow but to Jack it looked like a Skrahak, at least as big as the one he¡¯d seen on that tbed cart. The only thing keeping it from the kids was Gee and Bal putting shot after shot into its back from behind with their deadly little pistols. Unfortunately, the creature¡¯s bulk reduced the effectiveness of the bullets to merely painful annoyances.


    It finally turned slowly to face the source of the pain. Gee¡­ disappeared, though her skis and poles remained and seemed to move on their own up slope as Bal continued to pepper the Skrahak¡¯s side with bullets.


    Once the creature was facing Bal, Gee dropped her camo and gestured for the teens to run towards her. She pushed them to keep going upslope once they reached her.

 114

    The Skrahak had reached some limit to the amount of pain it was willing to ignore. It roared deafeningly at Bal throwing up a huge gust of snow and ice crystals which pelted her. She staggered back and that was the opening the creature needed. It reached out a portion of its body and swatted Bal off of her skis.


    Jack was already moving before Balnded and found herself pinned to the snow by the appendage projecting from the beast. She couldn¡¯t breathe under the pressure of its grip. The boney tes of its maw were swinging over towards her and she could do nothing but watch in horror.


    Racing downslope in a full tuck position to boost his eleration Jack ripped off his hat and knocked the caps free from his horns. He had no other weapons and no time to think this through. He was almost flying as he reached the Skrahak. He mmed the ski¡¯s brakes on as he disconnected the bindings and shot over Bal¡¯s trapped body like a missile to strike the right side of the beast¡¯s jaw.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    CRACK!


    Gee froze as she watched in terror from across the snow as Jack¡¯s head and shoulders seemed to disappear inside the mouth of the Skrahak.


    It screamed! It iled and swung Jack¡¯s limp body from side to side as gore sshed across the snow.


    Bal was no longer under its limb and pushed herself back from the grisly scene. She struggled to get breath back in her lungs as her eyes were locked on Jack. She saw his arms and legs spasm horribly then his hands reached up to grab the ripped edges of the hole he¡¯d made in the side of its jaw. The beast renewed its efforts to fling Jack loose but this just made it scream louder.


    Jack¡¯s legs found purchase for just a moment and he used that leverage to pull back hard. There was a terrible ripping sound and the creature finally managed to toss him loose. He spun in the air andnded in the deep snow just beyond Bal¡¯s prone body.


    The Skrahak tried to roar but its face was destroyed and the pain turned the roar into a shrill squeal. It turned once more towards Bal.


    Jack wed his way free of the snow onto the packed down area and leapt to stand over Bal facing the Skrahak. His mind went back to another snowy scene and a man facing down an angry, injured beast. That hadn¡¯t ended well but he wasn¡¯t going to let this thing have Bal or Gee or those kids. Even if he had to kill it from inside its gut he would. He wracked his mind trying to think of something he could do.


    Bal stared up at Jack standing between her and the Skrahak and for the first time in her life she froze. She knew she had at least one broken rib and was out of the fight. She knew she had to flee but Jack was there protecting¡­ her. She was no help to him but as she stared at the strips of flesh and gore dripping from his horns and the blood covering his head and shoulders she was shaken to the core.


    Jack lunged at the creature and it jumped back the same distance. That gave Jack some confidence. He recalled some old advice for confronting bears. He stretched himself as tall as he could with his hands stretched up over his head to make himself look as big as possible. Then he roared at the creature with everything he had. The scream of rage that ripped from him echoed off the walls filling the area. The beast shifted back again.


    Then it began to rear up as well. Jack watched the torn maw rise up and up and still higher.


    Jack wet himself, just a little.


    The creature drew in a breath to roar back-


    And disappeared.


    A poof of snow was the only evidence it had been there at all. The cliff¡¯s snowy edge had given way under its concentrated weight.


    Jack sagged and dropped to his butt on the packed snow. His body shook with unspent adrenaline. He felt a gentle touch on his shoulder and turned his head to see Bal standing there nursing her ribs. He immediately turned entirely around to face her in concern.


    ¡°Are you ok? Did it injure you?¡± he gasped.


    ¡°Why do you not listen when I tell you to stay put!¡± Bal scowled at him but he could see she wasn¡¯t really angry. He just smiled and shrugged.


    Gee skied up to them and checked on her partner. Then she stared at Jack. ¡°Why does he not stay put!¡± she asked her partner. That got an actual smirk from Bal.


    The two teens approached, looking at Jack with wide eyes. The young male was Jett and his mouth opened and closed a few times as he took in Jack¡¯s bloody face and the shredded flesh on his horns. He truly looked fearsome. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    Jack looked at him. ¡°How did I know what?¡±


    ¡°How did you know how to do the mating challenge?¡± Jett gasped.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°When two dominant Skrahak meet, they challenge each other and the victor impregnates the loser. Rising up and roaring is the challenge. It¡¯s instinctive. They have to respond. How did you know!?!¡± Jett asked again.


    Jack snorted. He turned to the agents with a bloody grin and gestured to the cliff edge with his thumb. ¡°I guess I really fucked him, didn¡¯t I!¡±


    Gee and Bal rolled their eyes and moved to collect Bal¡¯s skis so they could leave.


    ¡°Hey! That was a good one! Come on guys! You have to admit¡­¡±


    When they continued to ignore him he turned back to Jett with a sigh. ¡°I was pretending to be a bear. A simrly frightening creature on Earth. I had no idea what I was doing. I¡¯m just d it worked out.¡± He looked up the slope to where his hat was. His head was getting cold as the blood cooled. His horn caps were long gone.


    He looked over at the young female and she looked very sad. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    She looked mournfully at him. ¡°I think it got Khee.¡±


    Jett exined. ¡°Khee was out with us when the Skrahak attacked. We got separated. It followed us and cornered us in this box canyon. We haven¡¯t seen-¡±


    ¡°JETT! SHAY!¡± cried a voice from the top of the ridge.


    The teen¡¯s faces lit up as they looked up towards their friend. Behind him was arge group of Ridgers all armed to take down the Skrahak. They rushed down the slope to check on them and Jett excitedly described the battle while Jack climbed back up the hill to get his hat. The group joined him, eyeing him and his bloody appearance especially the horns, and they made their way out of the shadowy pocket.


    Jack immediately had a problem. Now that they were no longer in the shadows he couldn¡¯t see. He¡¯d lost his goggles when he crashed through the jaws of the beast which was now dead at the base of the cliff. He had to close his eyes against the re.


    The Ridgers came up with a solution. Along with the others they loaded Jack, Gee, and Bal with their ski equipment onto the tbed behind the snow crawler they¡¯d driven out in and everyone rode in style on the way back. Jack pulled the hat down over his eyes and heard the horn tips tear through the fabric.


    When they got back to the vige they went down the ramp into the bay and everyone marched inside into a huge crowd of Shreen who¡¯de to see ¡®Jack the Skrahak killer¡¯. News had travelled quickly and the mayor was right there to check on them.


    ¡°Mayor Ghen, is someone going to check on the body of the Skrahak?¡± Jack asked as he tugged the remains of the hat off. There was a collective gasp as the gathered crowd saw the carnage on his horns and the razor sharp tips.


    Blinking in surprise Ghen nodded. ¡°Uh yes! We have a team going to the spot right now.¡±


    Jack sighed in relief. ¡°Great! Could you ask them to retrieve my goggles from it?¡±


    ¡°Your goggles?!?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Where are they?¡± Ghen asked faintly.


    Jack paused to think about that. ¡°Well, I likely lost them when I was in its mouth but it might have subsequently swallowed them.¡±


    Stunned silence. Jack blinked at the crowd. ¡°What?¡±


    A huge cheer went up and in the contained space the noise was deafening. Jack winced and looked to the two agents who were also shrinking back from the wall of noise. He pointed in the direction of the resort and they nodded. The mayor saw the gesture too and nodded to Jack.


    The trio managed to get through the crowd and on their way and soon enough they were in their room. Jack kicked off his skiing shoes and walked into the shower fully dressed. He got the hot water going and carefully washed the blood and bits of flesh and skin from his horns. He was surprised to feel the surface of them had gone back to its original rough texture. The coating was gone. Maybe dissolved in the saliva of the Skrahak?


    His body trembled as he recalleding back to his senses inside its mouth. He¡¯d been able to breathe thankfully but it was never a good thing to be in another creature¡¯s mouth.


    He washed the outeryer of his ski suit and the blood came right off. Nothing stuck to the slick fabric. He peeled it off, wrung it out, and hung it on a hook outside the shower. He did this with eachyer until he was down to his skin. That he scrubbed until it was pink.


    Once he felt like he¡¯d cleaned himself of every remnant of the beast he shut down the shower and turned on the air dryer. He realized he hadn¡¯t brought any clothes in with him. He sighed. Well, Gee and Bal knew what he looked like naked so he made sure his ski clothes were drying properly and left the bathroom.


    Queen Lyn and King Tyg smiled broadly at him from the cushions of the living room pit as he walked into the room.


    ¡°Jack!¡± the Queen cheerfully gasped and climbed up to rush over and hug him, rubbing her face against his. As soon as Jack recovered from that Tyg was next in line.


    ¡°What- it¡¯s great to see you two again but what are you doing here?¡± he gasped and gratefully snagged the underwear from Gee¡¯s outstretched hand. Once he had those on he felt a little better. Gee continued to hand him clothes he immediately put on as the Queen answered.


    ¡°We heard the interviews Tyg¡¯s parents have been doing with you and decided toe visit so we might join you. Tyg missed his parents and home too.¡±


    Jack blinked at her. ¡°The interviews? You heard them too? I got the impression that they were only shared with the vige! He said they were for the people who couldn¡¯t¡­ join us in the restaurant.¡± Jack realized that could also mean the people in Elleltris.


    ¡°Exactly. The broadcasts are very popr! They y all over Chrystan and I understand there has been off world interest as well which is surprising as everyone beyond Chrystan seems so obsessed with imagery,¡± Lyn said with a smile.


    ¡°What¡¯s this I hear about you going after a Skrahak all by yourself?¡± Tyg grinned. ¡°You¡¯re going to make the Ridgers look like¡­ weenies.¡±


    Jackughed hearing the Earth terming from Shreen lips. ¡°Where did you hear that word?!?¡±


    Tyg couldn¡¯t suppress his own chuckle. ¡°Hahn won¡¯t stop using it! He said you used it on him at Tanz¡¯s party and now he¡¯s telling everyone he¡¯s ¡®no weeny¡¯. I have to say, it¡¯s a fun term!¡± Jack just shook his head as he had no memory of calling Hahn that. They made their way to the pit and sat down.


    ¡°So, we just got here and never got a chance to see this Skrahak you bested. Did you bring it back to the vige?¡± Tyg asked with eagerness.


    There was a knock on the door and Gee went to answer it.


    ¡°No, it fell off a very tall cliff,¡± Jack answered.

 115

    Tygughed with delight. ¡°You scared a little Skrahak off a cliff and they call you ¡®Jack the Skrahak killer for that?¡± Jack just grinned at him and the Queen smiled with relief.


    Gee returned with a tall Shreen male Tyg immediately recognized. With a cry of happiness he leapt to his feet to rush over to him. Jack and the Queen looked at each other and left the pit to meet a male that could elicit such a response in the King.


    Tyg pressed his forehead to therge, strong looking male. He turned back to his wife. ¡°This is Oleg! He¡¯s our champion Ridger! He and his team kept the vige safe and cleared the region during the big migration two years back!¡± He turned back to Oleg hero worship in on his face and the champion smiled back at him in grateful appreciation.


    Then Oleg¡¯s eyes went to Jack and rose to his horns. The smile slipped from his face to be rece with¡­ something else. Actually It looked a little like the expression on Tyg¡¯s face.


    ¡°I- I¡¯vee to return your property to you,¡± Oleg said to Jack and Tyg looked at him expectantly. The male raised his hand and he had Jack¡¯s goggles. They looked no worse for wear until Jack saw the strap was in tatters, eaten away by the saliva probably.


    Tyg looked at the goggles and smiled back at Jack. ¡°You dropped your goggles out in the snow?¡±


    Oleg turned to Tyg with a serious expression. ¡°No, King. They were in the mouth of the huge beast.¡±


    ¡°Mouth? Huge?¡± Tyg muttered in confusion. He turned back to Jack. ¡°How did your goggles get into a Skrahak¡¯s mouth? Just howrge was this beast?¡±


    Jack fidgeted. ¡°The goggles fell off after I crashed through the side of its face into its mouth,¡± he said pointing to his horns.


    The Queen cried out in shock, her legs giving out to drop her to her butt on the floor. Gee was immediately at her side to help her up and back into the living room pit to sit down.


    ¡°King, this was a Dynast ss Skrahak,¡± Oleg rified. Tyg¡¯s eyes shed to the champion¡¯s face.


    ¡°But¡­ they don¡¯te down from the high mountain slopes!¡±


    ¡°No, they rarelye down. We believe they do during their own migration cycles. Being very territorial, this one may well be the same one that took your great grandfather but there¡¯s no real way to be certain,¡± Oleg exined.


    ¡°How big?¡± Tyg asked.


    ¡°Nine metres, end to end,¡± Oleg answered.


    Tyg¡¯s face whipped around to look at Jack. ¡°Are you insane? You attacked a nine metre Skrahak?!?¡±


    ¡°Hey! I couldn¡¯t really see how big it was at first and it wouldn¡¯t have mattered. It was going to eat Bal! Nobody, not even a big Skrahak, hurts my friends!¡± Jack barked back then looked around. He looked to Gee. ¡°Where is Bal?¡±


    She walked up to him and hugged him tightly. ¡°I gave her some painkillers for her broken rib. She is resting under your coat. Let her rest,¡± she finished when she felt him try to move to the bedroom. She released him and went to sit with the Queen.


    Tyg was looking dazed.


    Oleg cleared his throat and Jack looked back at him. ¡°What would you like to do with the carcass?


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You killed it. Its resources belong to you,¡± Oleg exined.


    ¡°Oh! Uh, tell you what. I¡¯ll take one steak¡¯s worth of meat from it and the rest can go to Asha. She deserves the closure for her grandfather in case this is the same one.¡± Jack said and the champion smiled at the poetic justice in this.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to eat the Skrahak?¡± the Queen gasped.


    Jack smirked at her. ¡°Not the whole thing! Just one meal as a symbolic act of defiance.¡± He couldn¡¯t keep a straight face. ¡°Actually just because I¡¯m really hungry and Skrahak steak tastes amazing!¡±


    Gee just shook her head as she rolled her eyes. Jack touched his forehead to Oleg¡¯s in thanks then walked over and sat next to the agent in the pit. He slumped back to rx against the cushions. There was a tearing sound and all eyes went to his horns which were embedded in therge pillow. Jack sat back up and looked back with a pout. He faced the others. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. I lost my caps out in the snow.¡±


    Gee went up on her knees on the cushions next to Jack and took his head between her hands. He looked at her in surprise thinking she was going for a kiss but she tilted his head down with a look of exasperation and examined his horns much closer.


    ¡°You¡¯ve lost the GowGow coating. Likely it shattered in the impact. More worrying, you have multiple stress fractures on the front surfaces of your horns. We should return to Altaria for your doctor to look at these,¡± Gee rmended.


    Jack sighed as he heard the tone in her voice that told him it was more of an order, one he would regret ignoring once it got back to Queen Elissa.


    ¡°Tomorrow?¡± he asked and Gee smiled as she nodded.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Tyg was speaking quietly to Oleg and they touched foreheads once more before the champion nodded to the others and left.


    ¡°Well, you have an interesting story for your audience tonight!¡± Tyg said with a smile.


    ¡°I live in interesting times,¡± Jack sighed.


    >>>>>


    Jack woke with a terrible headache. He moaned and tried to lift his hands to his head but discovered he couldn¡¯t move his arms. His eyes flew open in a panicked response but he saw he was just buried in furry bodies once more. He tried to rx back against the pillows in the living room pit once more but the throbbing in his head wouldn¡¯t subside. He thought back to the night before to recall if he¡¯d had anything to drink or eat which might exin the pain he was in now.


    Ghen and Asha¡¯s broadcast dinner had been a lot of fun. The Queen and King had joined them at the table as had Gee and Bal, who had been feeling a little better. Oleg was also at their table but left part ways through the night to go on a patrol. They¡¯d talked andughed until the restaurant closed and afterwards made their way to Jack¡¯s suite with a bottle of Nii. The Queen promised it tasted lovely, generated a light feeling of euphoria, and most importantly had none of the seemingly random side effects of Lussht. It was another beverage you drank in small increments and the seven of them lounged in the pit taking sips as they continued to talk andugh. This morning Jack had to admit the Queen was right. He¡¯d felt wonderfulst night and could still recall every moment until the time he nodded off in the pit. Obviously this had been seen as an invitation to get some shut eye with him. This was a genuine Shreen experience.


    The pain spiked and he couldn¡¯t stop another moan from leaking out. Secondster he felt a gentle touch on his forehead. He opened his eyes and saw Gee¡¯s concerned expression.


    ¡°I think we must take you home now,¡± she said.


    ¡°What is wrong with Jack?¡± the Queen asked as she woke up and stretched luxuriantly over his body.


    ¡°Something is wrong with Jack?¡± Tyg blurted as he woke with a start. His parents were a little slower to wake.


    ¡°I slept so wellst night!¡± Asha grinned with her husband then they lost those smiles when they picked up on the tension.


    Gee pressed her lips to Jack¡¯s horns.


    Jack looked at her oddly. ¡°It¡¯s just a headache.¡±


    She frowned at him. ¡°No Jack, it¡¯s not. Your horns are hot. We must take you to see Jinnae.¡± She looked at the Mayor. ¡°Could we catch a ride on the train that transports your produce to Elleltris?¡±


    Ghen¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°Uh, I suppose you could¡­¡± The idea was obviously disturbing for him.


    ¡°Haste is required,¡± Gee said as her partner joined her. They did that thing where they talked with gestures and Bal¡¯s eyes widened in concern. She moved away to begin packing.


    ¡°We will leave our skis here if you don¡¯t mind. I¡¯m sure Jack will wish to return to use them again soon.¡±


    ¡°You are all wee toe back any time!¡± Ghen said as his wife nodded.


    ¡°I apologize for us sleeping on youst night,¡± Tyg said sheepishly.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. A¡­ genuine¡­ Shreen experience I will treasure,¡± he said through the pounding pain. ¡°I have the fondest memories, those the Lussht didn¡¯t steal away, of Chrystan and its people. Thank¡­ you for making me feel¡­ so wee!¡±


    The couples tried to smile at him but they could see the pain he was in.


    Ghen used his to hold the next train and add a car to the end for the passengers. He instructed them to bolt down three spare bus seats into the extra car which shocked the people at the other end of the until they learned it was a medical emergency for Ambassador Danner and his two Altarianpanions. Then they jumped to it.


    Tyg ran out the door to bring a cart up the corridor as the rest got Jack up and dressed. His muscles ached badly and he was beginning to realize that maybe this was more than a headache. He insisted in saying goodbye properly before boarding the cart. Tyg drove like a mad man, hand on the cart horn at every corner but he got them to the train station without killing them or anyone else. He helped them on board and told them Tanz would pick them up at the other end.

 116

    As soon as the car was closed up the train lifted off the tform and slowly elerated away. Inside the car there was no sensation of movement and very little light. Filtered air kept them alive and fresh as the produce it was designed to protect. They were strapped into their chairs and Jack closed his eyes since there was nothing to see.


    He came back to himself strapped down on a bench seat of the long cart Tanz picked them up in. Bal was sitting with him watching him with worried eyes. He smiled at her and she looked away as her bottom lip began to tremble. Jack took her hand with his and felt her tight grip. He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb until his headache came back with a vengeance and he slipped under once more.


    He surfaced again as Tanz walked him through the Gate to Altaria and thrust him into the arms of a medical team before she leapt back through the Gate to go home. After that he slipped under once more.


    Jack was lying in a hospital bed when he next became aware of his surroundings. Adina was dangling down from the ceiling mounted I. V. stand while her sister was operating the controls to move the stand along its rail.


    ¡°Papa¡¯s awake!¡± Adina chirped and dropped down onto the bed with a gentle thump. Zaina was immediately by her sister¡¯s side as they plunked themselves down to sit on either side of him, leaning on his chest with an elbow and smiling.


    He smiled back at his daughters and tried to speak but his throat was dry and he coughed. He pointed to the water and the cup on the table next to the bed and they worked as a team to pour him some water. Once he¡¯d taken some sips to ease his parched throat he handed the cup back and they retook their seats.


    ¡°How are my beautiful girls?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Good! Are you going to stay awake now?¡± Zaina asked.


    Jack blinked at her odd question. ¡°Uh, I think so. Where¡¯s your Mama?¡±


    ¡°She is talking with the doctor. Asking when you¡¯re going to wake up,¡± Adina replied with a smile.


    ¡°How¡­ how long have I been asleep?¡± he asked and they began to fidget. ¡°Sorry, never mind.¡± He¡¯d forgotten that they still hadn¡¯t worked out the concept of the passage of time. With the flood of sensory data their time sense took a back seat and they lived mostly in the now.


    He suddenly remembered his present for them. ¡°Ooo! I got you something when I was on Chrystan and I think you¡¯re gonna like it!¡± he said singing thest part. He grinned when their eyes lit up excitedly.


    ¡°What is it, Papa? What is it?¡± they squealed as they hopped up and down on the bed.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on in here?¡± SennLann said bursting into the room.


    Jack turned his head to smile at the ebony beauty and¡­ something felt¡­ minutely different. He couldn¡¯t ce it so he put it aside. ¡°Hey beautiful!¡±


    ¡°Jack! You¡¯re awake! This is so good!¡± she eximed.


    ¡°How long was I asleep?¡± he asked keeping an eye on his daughters who were almost bursting with anticipation.


    ¡°A little more than a month,¡± SennLann said.


    Jack froze. ¡°I¡¯ve been asleep for more than a month?!?¡± he eximed.


    Jinnae walked in with a smile on her face. ¡°I thought I heard my favorite patient was up and around.¡±


    Jack looked at the doctor anxiously. ¡°I was asleep for over a month! That can¡¯t be good! What happened?¡±


    Jinnae stopped beside the bed and looked at him pensively. ¡°Well¡­ you broke your head. That needed to heal. We¡¯ve had you on a feed to give your body the food it needed to make its repairs.¡±


    He blinked at the doctor. ¡°Uh, ok¡­ I think you may be simplifying the answer just a little too much.¡±


    Jinnae smiled. ¡°Ok. You shattered the innerttice structure of your horns and cracked the underlying skull te. I¡¯m afraid the horns couldn¡¯t be saved. Your body shed them.¡±


    Jack¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°I don¡¯t have horns any longer?!?¡± he gasped and immediately tried to reach for his head. His daughters were both lying across his body blocking his arms. They giggled at his struggling thinking he was ying with them.


    The doctor shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. I said your body shed the damaged horns. The skull te has healed and if anything has be a little denser with a newyer of btice over the healed te. Your horns¡­ regrew. They¡¯re¡­ magnificent!¡± she gushed with awe.


    Jack¡¯s momentary tion at losing the horns immediately turned to caution. ¡°I- I¡¯d like to see them please.¡±


    Jinnae activated the camera on her tablet while SennLann collected her daughters. The doctor handed the device to Jack who turned it to face himself. He took slow even breaths as he slowly panned the camera up his face.


    The base of the new horns was wider than before. Not much but noticeable to him. They were also ck now, jet ck with no thin white veins¡­ or blood red stains, thank goodness.


    The second thing he noticed was that the rtively smooth nature of his previous horns had given way to stepped ridges. Thick at the base the¡­ rings became thinner the further out they got until they stopped altogether a short distance from the deadly sharp points which now curved inwards and forward.


    The worst difference for him was their length. The new horns were at least four inches longer than his previous ones. Fourteen inches, he guessed.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Jinnae cocked her head in question. ¡°Why what?¡±


    ¡°Why are they so different from my original horns?¡± he moaned.


    ¡°Oh! Well, the doctors here theorized that this was due to the fact that the original ones were grown while your body was undergoing its transformation. The horns picked up attributes from your original human skeleton. Smooth surfaced, stunted growth, and brittleness. The new ones are much more resilient!¡±


    ¡°Brittleness?¡± he gasped in shock.


    ¡°The damage to them this time was along all of the thin white veins. Those no longer exist. These¡­ these are perfect!¡± Jinnae sighed happily.


    She took her tablet back. ¡°I¡¯m going to keep you in overnight then you¡¯ll be released in the morning.¡± She touched a few spots on the tablet to make notes and smiled at him. ¡°Wee back, Jack!¡±


    With a final admiring look at his horns she turned and left.


    ¡°Give your Papa a kiss and we must leave. It is almost time for Diana and Emily to have their turn.¡± SennLann said to her daughters who quickly climbed back onto the bed and kissed his cheeks. Then they slipped up to his ears to whisper to him.


    ¡°What did you get us?¡±


    Jack grinned and kissed his girls before moving his mouth to their ears to whisper back.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°Tomorrow.¡±


    Smiling impishly the girls jumped back down while SennLann gave Jack a kiss. She gently nipped his bottom lip afterwards. ¡°That¡¯s for worrying me,¡± she said. He gave her a smile and a nod.


    Once they¡¯d left Jack thought about thistest development. So, he had new horns. Apparently better ones if less convenient for him. Not such a truly huge change in the status quo. He could deal with it. He¡¯d have to deal with a new bout of getting stares, both shocked and admiring, but he was actually getting used to that as well. At least it bothered him less now.


    The door opened and nervous green eyes looked in at him.


    ¡°Come in. I¡¯m decent,¡± he said with a smile which put one on Diana¡¯s face. She pushed the door open and carried Emily in on her hip.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Emily squealed when she saw he was awake.


    Jack smiled widely and held his arms up to take Emily in them. Once Jack had gotten his kisses from his daughter Diana leaned over and gave him a lingering kiss until Emily pushed her back so she could see him. Jack grinned at Diana.


    ¡°Daddy! Big horns!¡± Emily gasped.


    ¡°Yes, I broke my old ones so new ones grew in their ce,¡± he exined.


    ¡°Why?¡± she asked.


    Jack nced at Diana who rolled her eyes.


    ¡°She¡¯s discovered the all-powerful question, why. Don¡¯t fall for it. It¡¯s a trap!¡± Diana said as she ran her fingers through Emily¡¯s hair to straighten the mess out.


    Jack grinned as he smiled up at the beautiful brte. ¡°I missed you!¡± he said and she nced at him from the corner of her eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t get to talk with you before I left. I¡¯m sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you put up with me and my¡­ issue,¡± she said quietly.


    ¡°Diana, please. You know I don¡¯t believe you have any reason to feel that way!¡± He remembered the Shreen and the incredible closeness of their sleeping pits. The intimacy. He saw now that was what Diana needed. He¡¯d have to convince her to visit Chrystan with him.


    Her eyes were so lovely and green. He held them with his. ¡°I love you, prettydy. You¡¯re mine, you hear me?¡±


    Her breath caught and she beamed him a huge smile as her eyes watered with happy tears. She nodded, not trusting her voice.


    ¡°Good! I hope you don¡¯t mind my new headgear,¡± he said gently.


    Her eyes went up and she bit her lip as she shook her head just a little. They shared another smile.


    The next morning Jack got to go home and a month of lying around in bed had taken a lot out of him. He was surprisingly tired by the time he made it inside his condo. He vowed to get himself back up to peak as quickly as he could. He hated this feeling of weakness.


    Eve was the first to greet him as he stepped inside. She gave him a lovely, warm kiss and handed him a box. He blinked at it in surprise. ¡°You need to open this before youe in and see the kids who are bouncing off the walls with excitement that you are home,¡± she exined.


    Jack opened the package and inside were two horn caps intricately carved out of some white material. He saw a note as well and read it aloud.


    ¡°Jack, we hope this note finds you fully recovered from your injuries. In tribute to your protecting our people from the scourge of the Dynast ss Skrahak we present to you these horn caps made from the strongest of your foes jaw bones. Thankfully they proved no match for your mighty attack. The caps were made by Asha who is one of our best artisans and the carving tells the story of her grandfather, a mighty hunter in his own right. May they serve you well. With eternal affection, Queen Lyn and King Tyg.¡±


    Jack lifted one of the caps from the box and examined it. It was beautiful! There was a bas-relief image carved into the surface of Shreen battling a huge Skrahak. ¡°My god, these are lovely!¡±


    ¡°Put them on before you see the children,¡± Eve said and he nodded.


    The caps slipped onto his horn tips and he felt them take grip. He looked in the mirror next to the front door and smiled. Eve smiled back up at him. He tucked the note back into the package. He¡¯d have to write a thank you to them¡­ no, he was going to thank them in person so they could see this beautiful artwork in use.


    He walked into the living room and Joseph charged over to him and grabbed his legs. ¡°Daddy!¡±


    Eve looked down at her adopted son with pride and happiness.

 117

    Jack grinned widely and knelt to hug the boy who was showing more energy and¡­ happiness than he ever had. Jack looked to Eve in delighted confusion.


    ¡°Your friends the Shreen sent us a bottle of Skrahak oil. Jinnae analysed it and said it was safe for Joseph so I¡¯ve been giving him a drop in each ear before bed. The difference has been miraculous. I¡¯m so grateful to them!¡± Eve exined.


    Jack gave the boy¡¯s cheeks a kiss and he giggled then rushed off to y. Emily was next in his arms and got a kiss before chasing Joseph back to the toy bin.


    From his position down on the floor Jack saw the eyes of Zaina peering out from behind the couch. Waiting to pounce. Without turning his head he spoke quietly to Eve who left and returned with the package he requested. Grinning Jack took the toy from the box. It looked like a simple white ball. He pushed his thumb against the soft rubber of its side, pressing hard as he¡¯d been instructed by the store clerk. He felt the ball vibrate as it¡­ awoke.


    From the corner of his eye he caught Adina sneaking closer. He turned his head away from the twins giving them their chance to attack. He tossed the ball in their direction a split secondter. He heard thumps and oofs from Zaina and Adina who¡¯d collided with each other when the ball distracted them in their charge. He grinned at them. They looked at the ball which was gently pulsing with light from within and chittering angrily. Zaina boldly picked it up and it popped from her grip and bounced away in a random pattern.


    The twins grinned at Jack and scrambled to untangle their limbs to chase after the fleeing ball.


    ¡°What is that?¡± SennLann gasped as she watched the orb bouncing rapidly this way and that avoiding capture by the twins.


    Jack could see SennLann was struggling to keep herself from joining in on the chase, her wide eyes locked on the orb.


    Adina dove and caught it between her outstretched paws. It shed brightly dazzling her and she dropped it when shended. It bounced quickly between the legs of Zaina who was almost on it when she was dazed by her sister¡¯s input. She flippedpletely over onto her back. The ball skittered away down the hall and its chittering sounded smug now.


    ¡°A pursuit orb. That¡¯s what the Shreen call them. Fun, right?¡± Jack grinned. ¡°I¡¯m hoping it will help train them how to filter each other¡¯s sensory data while it¡¯s letting them y.¡±


    SennLann kissed Jack¡¯s cheek and chased after her girls in their hunt for the orb. Eve snorted in amusement.


    Jack stood up and went to get the rest of his gifts which he handed out to thedies. They were very pleased by his thoughtfulness and he got many kisses in return.


    When they were sitting on the couch watching Joseph and Emily happily ying with the new toys Jack had picked up for them as well, Jack felt the warm glow of being surrounded by his family and sighed happily.


    ¡°You seem¡­ more rxed than before. More at peace,¡± Eve noted looking close at his face.


    He smiled at her and nodded. ¡°I do feel a lot more rxed.¡± He looked at the twodies with him and looked over the back of the couch to see SennLann. She was stretched out on the floor panting and smiling at him as she took a break from hunting the orb which still eluded capture.


    He looked back at Eve. ¡°I¡¯m home with my family. The Shreen hold family as the most important element of their society. They have it right.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of the Shreen and family, Queen Elissa would like you to visit her when you feel up to it,¡± Diana said.


    ¡°Ahhh¡­ right,¡± Jack sighed. His assignment. Right. ¡°Tomorrow. Today I¡¯m with you guys.¡±


    Zaina and Adina jumped up on the back of the couch and each grabbed one of Jack¡¯s horns to steady themselves as they leaned over to give him simultaneous kisses on both cheeks. He felt them panting, out of breath.


    ¡°So¡­ this means you like the present?¡± he asked and they hugged him tight before they scrambled away to continue the hunt with their mother.


    Jack hugged Diana and Eve to his sides and settled back against the couch. This was his day.


    The Queen¡¯s office was buzzing with activity as Jack sat in the waiting room with Elissa¡¯s assistant. Several delegates from different races had gone in to speak with Elissa and each had given Jack¡¯s new headgear a good stare before they were admitted. The most disturbing had been the Wuu. The tiny ball of fur hade to aplete stop before Jack and with no discernable eyes Jack had no way of knowing if it was staring at his ankles or his horns.


    Unable or unwilling to learn the universalnguage the Wuu finally blurted something in its native tongue which its trantion device said aloud.


    ¡°The bone caps. Skrahak?¡±


    Jack looked at it in surprise. How could it tell what kind of bones the caps were made of?!? Still, he answered. ¡°Yes. My kill.¡± Take that!


    The Wuu made a rude noise which the device didn¡¯t trante but attitude needed no trantion. It wasn¡¯t impressed. It growled again.


    ¡°My pod kill four metre Skrahak with traditional ded weapons.¡±


    Jack nodded as if impressed and the Wuu purred.


    ¡°I killed a Dynast ss Skrahak, nine meters, with only these,¡± Jack said calmly pointing to his horns. He looked at the furry being, wondering once more where he should be looking to stare it in the eye.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    The Wuu shrieked. ¡°Lie!¡± bellowed out of the device.


    Jack remained calm and smiled gently to the Wuu. ¡°Ask Queen Elissa when you speak to her.¡±


    The assistant ushered the Wuu into the office and returned to scowl at Jack. ¡°Why do you taunt the Wuu?¡±


    Jack shrugged with a smile. ¡°Respect is earned.¡±


    Ten minutester the Wuu exited and once more stopped before Jack. It grumbled.


    ¡°You no lie.¡±


    Jack nodded and leaned forward in his chair. ¡°One more thing we can agree on. Skrahak flesh is delicious.¡± He smiled widely at the Wuu ensuring his ¡®fangs¡¯ were clearly visible.


    The Wuu made an odd sound which could only be surprise then it purred loudly. It squawked once more.


    ¡°Have a profitable day Ambassador Danner.¡±


    It rolled away and once it was gone Jack looked at Elissa¡¯s assistant who was staring at Jack in shock.


    ¡°And that¡¯s how you earn respect.¡±


    He stood and walked into the Queen¡¯s office closing the door behind him.


    ¡°Jack! Are you my next appointment?¡± Queen Elissa smiled.


    He grinned. ¡°I am now.¡± He walked over and sat in the chair before her desk as she looked at him with a raised eyebrow and the smallest of smiles on her lips.


    His expression became serious. ¡°I¡¯m here to report on my failure to collect any information on the Shreen¡¯s unrest. The Queen and King are happy. The executive ss are happy and productive making the lives of their people easier. The working ss seem especially happy. I don¡¯t know¡­ they¡¯re a happy bunch! Are you sure there¡¯s unrest there because I found no sign of it!¡± he said sagging back in his chair.


    The Queen¡¯s mouth burst into a broad smile. ¡°Oh Jack! You silly man! You dealt with the unrest on the first night! The rtionship between the young aristocrat Queen and her King, a man from the countryside was failing and that shook the confidence of the people of Chrystan. They saw it as a sign. You mended their rtionship and the people are happy once more.¡±


    Jack sat there stunned, looking at Elissa with his jaw hanging open.


    She stood and came around her desk to walk to her door. She flipped the lock on it and walked back to Jack, her eyes on his horns. She took his hand and led him to her couch and sat with him holding his hands in hers.


    ¡°You mended the hearts of the Shreen. It seems that while this was happening you¡¯ve been mended as well. I can see it in your eyes. My Jack is back. I¡¯ve missed you.¡±


    He felt his heart swell with love for this beautiful and wise female before him. Then he was kissing her and she was pulling him down over her on the couch.


    Her tongue chased his and his need for her red. Their kisses became hungry. Clothes were tugged free and soon their naked bodies were writhing against each other trying to get even closer, to feel that intimate touch right down to their very souls.


    Elissa used her hooves to pull Jack¡¯s ass closer and he felt himself sliding deep into her hot depths. She crooned happily and he moved his kisses to her jawline and nibbled down her neck causing shocks to jolt through her body.


    ¡°Oh! Oh! Oh Jack!¡± she moaned with need as his hips began to drive him forward again and again.


    He was immersed in her spicy musk and his head spun with delicious pleasure as his need raced higher and higher. Soon his hips were pounding against hers and she was crooning loudly. The pace increased and they were both breathing hard from the effort.


    He was so close but his strength was gging and she needed release as well. Growling he dragged his teeth against her throat and she bleated as her body mped down. He kissed her throat as his body fired up into hers in surge after surge while she floated on waves of bliss of her own.


    Finally they both settled down back into their bodies and sighed in unison. This made them bothugh and Elissa smiled seeing the genuine happiness on his face as hisugh came from deep inside.


    When she¡¯d sent him on this mission she was hopeful the genuine kindness and warmth of the Shreen would reach that ce in Jack¡¯s heart which was still wounded so long after his captivity. She¡¯d done all she could to bring him back and had been mostly sessful but something still blocked him.


    Knowing his loving nature, Jack was the perfect choice for the mission and her faith had been justified. He¡¯d found their pain and he¡¯d healed it for them. They in turn had healed his. Everyone was happy.


    Elissa had the man she¡¯d fallen in love with, all of him. She was happiest of all.


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